Big change to eligibility rules

[light]

Mark Chisholm is 2 caps short according to Wikipedia.


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Mitchell got there by 3 caps!

 

[Wilson]

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

Pretty sure regulation 9 release is mandatory and can't be contracted around.

 

[RuckingGoodTime]

It's also interesting to consider which players the ARU is trying to maintain in Australian rugby for the short term, which players would fulfil the criteria if they are to stay an extra year after the RWC?

 

[fatprop]

54 caps? Why not?

His medical history

 

[light]

Lets start the petition for Cooper now.

He'll be lucky if he gets there I reckon.

 

[Braveheart81]

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.

I agree with this.

I expect we won't see it used this year unless there are quite a lot more injuries and they start getting desperate in the inside backs (and hence Matt Giteau becomes in greater demand).

 

[Wilson]

Giteau's versatility and kicking makes him a very useful squad player. Whatever your opinion on the value of nh comp form it has to worth at least looking at the guy they named best of the best to see if he's worth it.

 

[BDA]

A lot of these players' future test careers could live and die depending on whether the Wallabies make it out of their group in the World Cup. Guys like Palu, Cooper etc might be 1 or 2 games short

 

[Sully]

Firstly. I'm shocked.
But I'm warming to it. It seems to give players who've served Australian rugby the opportunity to earn big bucks AND play test rugby. It also gives younger players a reason to stick around.

 

[Ignoto]

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

Still makes for a headache.

What's wrong with 5's? 5 years contracted (minimum age would be 23) and 50 caps.

 

[RugbyReg]

5 and 50 is too easy. It needs to be a reward for long(ish) service.

 

[No4918]

While it doesn't affect many at the moment I think it is a great long term move. Could have swayed players like Genia, Kepu & Horwill to stay a year longer, might even cause Cooper to reassess. Then there is the incentive to guys like Douglas and Maafu.

Had to happen, the writing was on the wall.

 

[Melbourne Terrace]

It's a step in the right direction but it's still too rigid and unrealistic. Giteau coming back is overdue as his Toulon form is unreal but the other players Australia need brought back into the fold like Digby and Mowen aren't eligible.

60 Caps is unrealistic for the majority of players that are actually going overseas, imo this not going to stop the exodus (if that's the point of this action).

 

[barbarian]

5 and 50 is too easy. It needs to be a reward for long(ish) service.

Even I've got a chance of hitting 50.

But put it this way....... I've put my talks with Biarritz on hold.
.

 

[Brumbieman]

It's ballsy, and very smart.


60 test caps, and 7 years or an ARU contract is a big commitment, and will force players thinking about the big bucks, to think again.

Will make them stay to get to that point, rather than losing them young.

Also:

 

[KOB1987]

I think it's great. What it does do is give a player another option and make them think about putting in some decent years of service before going off and making their nest egg. Take Folau for example, if he now hangs around until RWC 2019 he can then go a make a gazillion bucks and still play for Australia.

 

[Braveheart81]

Pretty sure regulation 9 release is mandatory and can't be contracted around.

In the past this was got around with players retiring from test rugby. That's what George Smith and Matt Giteau did.

George Smith then obviously unretired.

 

[Sully]

Don't get bogged down in the numbers. They can be tweaked.
When did we turn into a society that expects thing delivered perfect at the first try.

 

[Jagman]

It gives a player a benchmark to achieve before moving overseas and at the same time reduces that player's worth overseas once they reach that benchmark.


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[The_Brown_Hornet]

I like it. It means that the group is kept reasonably small and it means that if blokes want to play for Australia that the bar is high enough that we won't have any old dirt tracker doing it.

I reckon Giteau is in Cheika's cross hairs.