League of Nations or EOYT?

We are presuming active recruitment of Fiji in the proposal.

Fiji population < 1 million, GDP 5 billion
Romania population > 20 million, GDP 210 billion

Look, I’m not overly bothered about Romania I just don’t connect with the thinking that blames them and Georgia instead on the entrenched but poor quality (within the) 6N.

I don't blame them. Just question their reasoning. The resistant 6Ns Unions in mainly the Scots and Italians scuppered the proposal.

Not sure if this fits in here? https://www.smh.com.au/sport/rugby-...fairer-eligibility-rules-20191009-p52yx0.html

But Pacific Rugby Players union is calling for a fairer go for PI players.

I don't know what the appetite for allegiance switching is in general, but I've always been a fan of the idea if it's done in a way that ensures its integrity. For mine, that looks something like:

• No more than 2 Nations for a player over their lifetime
• You can't represent Nation "A" after you've appeared for Nation "B"
• You can't play represent both Nation "A" & "B" in any single world cup cycle
• You have been eligible to play for Nation "B" at the time you were internationally locked for Nation "A"

But those are just what I'd like. IDK if there's more detail or specifics that should be/need to be put in place.

I'm happy for it to be an option with a stand down period. Something between 18-24 months would fit the bill.

I’d also want a limit on caps people have and if they could switch. Maybe under 10 caps, however if you have over 10 caps you can’t switch.

I like the addition of the caps but I tend to think 10 caps would be a little too restrictive. I'd say at least 20-25 caps considering the number of tests T1 nations play in a single year. Which could effectively do away with their eligibility.

I have no interest in seeing someone who’s been heavily apart of a program over a season or more been able to transition. It should be in place for people like big Taqele to transition. It’s possible for people to be apart of a program for 3-4 years and only get 20 caps, those people in my eyes have made a full commitment to one country and the country in return had made a significant commitment to them as well. Dickie Hardwick is another good example, although young enough to make a run at the wallabies in the coming years, he could just as easily put his hand up for Namibia at next WC without really been associated with the Wallabies at any stage.

For me, I'd be happier seeing it being easier for the PI players to be released by their clubs to play for their country, at the moment, the NH clubs hold the PI nations to ransom, and then because of eligibility rules, your see the PI players playing for the NH sides having been playing there for X years and not released for their country.

Fixed stand down periods might be an inevitable part of it if it were ever to eventuate, but I don't really like them myself. I would definitely prefer for it to be no more than one Nation per cup cycle: I'd have lot fewer problems with an All Black or Wallaby or whatever turning out for Samoa/Fiji/Tonga/whatever immediately after a world cup than one who spends two seasons on a National Contract and times their stand down so that they're eligible for the pre-world cup fixtures.

I think another rule of a set time period in between representing the old nation and the new one would have to be included, something like 2 years. Enough time to fit in RWC cycles, but also long enough to not make it farcical with representing one country one year, and another the next. That’s one thing which was a joke about rugby league, swapping and changing of countries year to year.

Pretty sure it was Braveheart who suggested you shouldn't be able to gain new eligibilities after age 18 which I think is a good idea: a kid born in NZ of PI or whatever ancestry who then moved to say Straya as a child could still become a Wob, but only if he completed the residency requirement before turning 18. Would hopefully stop the European clubs siphoning off PI kids in particular as I doubt even they are going to start recruiting straight from primary school.

^ on second thought it may have been Highlander.

^ aye, laddy

Wholeheartedly agree.

I don't think it were me who said that. The only thing I remember along those lines is that you can't gain new eligibility after you've been capped.

Cap limit is a decent idea. Could be variable between the tiers of nations too. I'd be reasonably happy for someone with a bunch (50ish) of caps turn out for a Spain or something, but then have a lower limit (25-30ish) for a Fiji/Samoa/Tonga and then a MUCH lower limit (5-10) to join a tier 1 nation.

I think a combination of a cap limit and stand down period would be the best option. Could even determine the stand down based on caps. Under 10 caps = 12 months. 10 to 20 = 18 months and 20-30 would be 24 months. If you have more than 30 then you're permanently locked in to the nation you've represented 30+ times.