30 Jun 2016

Sport: Pacific nations hopeful of changes to rugby's eligibility laws

1:09 pm on 30 June 2016

Tonga rugby coach Toutai Kefu says New Zealand and Australia are "warehousing" Pacific talent that could and should be playing for Island nations.

World Rugby's top brass met in Fiji earlier this month and agreed to review a number of areas that impact Pacific Island Unions, including player eligibility regulations, player movement regulations and the conduct of non-union rugby academies luring Pacific players to European teams.

Tim Nanai Williams switched his allegiance from New Zealand to Samoa last season after playing four tournaments on the World Sevens Series, and went on to represent Manu Samoa at last year's Rugby World Cup.

That loophole was introduced especially for the Rio Olympics and offered players who have represented one country at sevens or senior level the chance to switch allegiance to another nation, provided they had a passport for the second country.

Former Wallabies winger Cooper Vuna was unable to inspire Tonga to success at the Monaco Sevens.

Former Wallabies winger Cooper Vuna was unable to inspire Tonga to success at the Monaco Sevens. Photo: World Rugby / Martin Seras Lima

The rules were tightened to ensure a flood of former tier one internationals did not become suddenly available for tier two teams such as Samoa, Fiji and Tonga.

Cooper Vuna played two tests for the Wallabies in 2012 but was able to switch his allegiance to represent Tonga at the Olympic sevens qualifying tournament in Monaco earlier this month.

Tonga has also received clearance form World Rugby's Regulations Committee to select former Australian sevens player Atieli Pakalani, who was born in Tonga and plays Super Rugby for the Waratahs.

Toutai Kefu, playing for Australia in 2002.

Toutai Kefu, playing for Australia in 2002. Photo: Photosport

Toutai Kefu said Tonga, Fiji and Samoa were all in the same boat and had a number of players they would love to be able to access.

"We're having ongoing discussions with World Rugby to see if there's other avenues where we would qualify a player like (Tonga-born one-test All Black) Frank Halai. Also there's maybe (former All Black) Anthony Tuitivake, (Australia A representative) Daniel Halangahu - there may be other avenues, we're just having ongoing discussions with World Rugby. Agustin Pichot - who's the vice chairman now of World Rugby - is very vocal on this eligibility rule and we have someone on our side now."

"There's a host of players who New Zealand and Australia are warehousing and we need to get access to those players. Look it's watch this space for now but definitely having Cooper Vuna and Atieli Pakalani qualified was a big bonus for us and they will definitely be involved in the November tour."

Frank Halai during his sole appearance for the All Blacks in 2013.

Frank Halai during his sole appearance for the All Blacks in 2013. Photo: PHOTOSPORT

Augustin Pichot has been outspoken on the issue of player eligibility in the past.

The former Argentina captain said the existing rules, which allow a player to represent a country if they have lived there for three years was not right.

Pichot is leading a working party that will make recommendations to the governing body in October.

Incoming World Rugby Chair Bill Beaumont with vice-chair Agustin Pichot.

Incoming World Rugby Chair Bill Beaumont with vice-chair Agustin Pichot. Photo: INPHO/Billy Stickland