Big change to eligibility rules

[fatprop]

I count only 6 years for Maafu

Ex Wallaby captain Ben Mowen is eligible though. This certainly throws a spanner in the works.

have held a professional contract with Australian Rugby for at least seven years

OK does a guy playing for the Tahs have a "a professional contract with Australian Rugby"

 

[Train Without a Station]

Is it both? I thought it was 60 tests OR 7 years.

"Effective immediately, overseas-based players will now be eligible for Qantas Wallabies selection if they have played more than 60 Tests for Australia and have held a professional contract with Australian Rugby for at least seven years."

 

[Slim 293]

So it's hardly going to affect selections for the RWC..........

Giteau would be the only possibility........,.

 

[Wilson]

"Effective immediately, overseas-based players will now be eligible for Qantas Wallabies selection if they have played more than 60 Tests for Australia and have held a professional contract with Australian Rugby for at least seven years."

That'll teach me for trusting the news.come.au article. I should probably stop loosing my mind and get back to work.

Can we start calling this the 'Cooper Clause' or do we have to wait until he gets 7 more caps?

 

[GaffaCHinO]

It's also interesting when you look at it like this Genia is 2 games short of being able to qualify and cooper is 7 short kepu is 8 games short. players will be pushing hard to get selected i would say so they could take advantage of the new policy.

I really like it but ATM it doesn't really do much for our depth but I can see it having great benefit in the future.

 

[Highlander35]

AND makes it a really really small group.

Interestingly enough, I think Sekope Kepu is the one they'll have introduced it for. He needs 8 caps to hit the magic 60 mark. If he plays every game of the RC & then 4 of the 5 pool games, he can play forever, and ever, and ever and ever and ever...

 

[light]

Well Cooper needs another 7 caps, while Genia and Horwill both need another 2 to be eligible once they are gone.

Edit: Kepu another 8.

 

[fatprop]

Palu wouldn't even qualify next year

 

[RugbyReg]

Palu wouldn't even qualify next year

54 caps? Why not?

 

[Blue]

There's very few who will qualify. Need to hold a contract with the ARU for 7 years AND have played more than 60 tests.

I think that would include active players Matt Giteau, Rocky Elsom, Drew Mitchell and George Smith up north.

Interestingly Berrick Barnes falls short with 51.

I tend to wonder if this is some sort of shrewd ploy by the ARU to bring down the values of players overseas. It's the best they can do if they can't compete. Surely players who would miss up to 10 weeks of the season due to international windows would be worth a lot less to the French clubs.

No.

Not the case with SA or Kiwi players.

 

[BDA]

OK does a guy playing for the Tahs have a "a professional contract with Australian Rugby"

No. I've just read the ARU press release so it wouldn't include Super contracts and requires at least 60 caps in any event.

On the plus side by Cooper and Kepu should be eligible next year.

Another thing to keep in mind is it allows the selection of returning players, so guys like Douglas etc could become eligible

 

[Train Without a Station]

No.

Not the case with SA or Kiwi players.

So the clubs have not at all considered the players' availability in their offer and adjusted it accordingly?

 

[fatprop]

AND makes it a really really small group.

Interestingly enough, I think Sekope Kepu is the one they'll have introduced it for. He needs 8 caps to hit the magic 60 mark. If he plays every game of the RC & then 4 of the 5 pool games, he can play forever, and ever, and ever and ever and ever.

that will depend on their foreign club contracts, lots of these units are signed because they can play through international windows; and then there would be the insurance discussions

I don't think it will be simple

 

[KOB1987]

Yeah I've settled down now - as TWAS said only Giteau, Smith, Elsom & Mitchell would qualify immediately.

What about the clause for those returning to Super Rugby next year - Douglas is a chance of fulfilling that isn't he?

Anyway, it's overall a good thing.

 

[fatprop]

They guys returning is interesting

Let us assume Douglas etc was released in May and resigns with an Aus franchise for 2016

He is then available for the rugby championship & RWC?

 

[light]

How on earth did they come up with 60 caps and 7 years as the threshold?

Why not 50 caps and 5 years?

ARU works in strange mysterious ways, that's so abstract.

 

[Wilson]

They guys returning is interesting

Let us assume Douglas etc was released in May and resigns with an Aus franchise for 2016

He is then available for the rugby championship & RWC?

Pretty sure he is injured throughout the cup so it may not matter.

 

[Jagman]

Mark Chisholm is 2 caps short according to Wikipedia.


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[light]

They guys returning is interesting

Let us assume Douglas etc was released in May and resigns with an Aus franchise for 2016

He is then available for the rugby championship & RWC?

Minimum 2 year commitment to Australian rugby and immediately eligible once in Australia.

Definitely throws a spanner into the works.

 

[Train Without a Station]

How on earth did they come up with 60 caps and 7 years as the threshold?

Look at the amount of players that fall into that bracket and I think you'll find your answer.