The former Samoa captain Dan Leo fears World Rugby’s vote to increase the period of required residency for international eligibility from three to five years may lead to Pacific Islanders being poached from an earlier age.
On Wednesday the World Rugby council voted to extend the period, partly in an attempt to stop the player exodus from tier-two nations such as Samoa, Tonga and Fiji. All four wings in France’s Test against Australia last autumn were from Fiji, while England have benefited from the three‑year residency requirement by picking Nathan Hughes, Semesa Rokoduguni and more recently Denny Solomona.
“My worry is that the age becomes younger,” said Leo, founder of Pacific Island Player Welfare. “Whether taking people away from their families at a young age is a good thing if they can’t be supported culturally. The players may physically look like a 25-30 year-old, but socially and education-wise a 16-17 year-old can have the maturity of a 12-13 year-old over here. We have to be in a place to support that.”
The World Rugby decision also targets the practice of “project players” such as the South African-born Ireland flanker CJ Stander being lured away by other nations with the intention of selecting them when eligible. Leo welcomed the vote, acknowledging the effort to “strengthen the game below the traditional rugby playing nations”, but he believes increased transparency among agents would be a more effective move when it comes to the Pacific Islands.
“A lot of them are coming with a very low education. Agents can go there and promise the far side of the moon and don’t have to really deliver,” the former Wasps lock said. “No one is holding them accountable and the worry is the players become one of those increasing number that come over here and don’t have anything to show for it.”
The World Rugby vice-chairman, Agustín Pichot, was a staunch supporter of the increase to five years and was publicly backed by the Rugby Football Union and the French federation, which has pledged not to award new caps to non‑passport holders. Pichot said: “National team representation is the reward for devoting your career and your rugby life to your nation. These amendments will ensure that the international arena is full of players devoted to their nation, who got there on merit.”
The extension does not come into effect until 31 December 2020, however, effectively leaving nations with the rest of the year to attract players who can still qualify within the 36-month period.
“Pacific Islanders make up about 20% of professional players now, we’re propping up a multi-million pound industry through our labour,” Leo said. “We’ll start seeing the ramifications – people are going to want to be able to say look, this guy has already been here so he can play for us so I imagine the impact will take place straight away.”
“I feel like we’re already behind the eight-ball as it is, trying to catch up on the last five or 10 years of players coming over through unregulated agents and this is just massively increased the urgency that we get our support structures in place before players are potentially coming over a couple of years younger than they already do.
“The way that it sometimes works in France, the agents work for the clubs. A club might go to an agent and say, ‘we want this player, this player and this player. Here’s a budget, go out and get them and if you get them cheaper, you keep the difference’. That’s not ideal for the players.”
Wasps’ Gopperth takes top award
Wasps fly-half Jimmy Gopperth has been named players’ player of the year by the Rugby Players’ Association.
The 33-year-old New Zealander led the Aviva Premiership points charts with 266 as Wasps ended the regular season top of the table for the first time.
Former All Blacks fly-half Dan Carter was inducted into the RPA Hall of Fame at Wednesday night’s annual dinner in Battersea, while Bath’s Zach Mercer scooped the young player of the year award.
“I’m very humbled and surprised to win this award and I am even more proud of the recognition shown by my fellow players,” Gopperth said.
“I am very lucky to be a part of such a driven and successful club and my team-mates deserve this award as much as I do.
“I’m sure I will look back at this moment down the track and be extremely proud.”
Saracens and British and Irish Lions playmaker Owen Farrell was named England player of the year, while Tamara Taylor received the women’s player of the year accolade.
Harlequins’ Nick Easter scooped the 2017 RPA special merit award.
