True. What hope does it give to aspiring fringe international players when they see there efforts blocked by mercenaries. I'd rather lose with English players than the embarrassment of only being able to compete by loading the team with Aussies.
Come on people, where's your bl**dy pride gone?

Ben Currie played for Ireland in the 2013 World Cup, do you flat earthers think he should not be selected for England too?

Personally I don't see the problem with having dual nationality and representing more than one nation. If your mums from Aus and dads from England for example. Or parents emigrate to Aus and you are brought up there. I could go through many more cases where it makes perfect sense for someone to have a passion and connection to more than one country, and would want to represent either given the opportunity.

The islanders living in NZ and Aus are good examples - they've lived in Aus/NZ most of, if not all of their lives, but they live in Samoan/Tongan communities, living by their traditional values, often with religion involved, with lots of family still back in the country of their heritage.... Whilst they're Australian citizens, they also have a deep tie to their heritage country - this is why, although in principle id like to see pick and stick, I can understand the benefits of almost being dual reg to a second country from the next tier down.

Let's be plucky losers. How terrifically British.

As for "fringe" international players, what's the message? Get better. Make yourself a better player than the guy from the NRL. Make it so the coach - whoever it is - cannot leave you out.

Besides, anyone who thinks Wayne Bennett will select on the basis of birthplace or accent needs their head testing. Bennett's a winner. He'll pick the best eligible team to win a game, as he should.

Correct.

Ok, so chucking a curve ball in to it... I was born in a British Army camp in Germany to English parents and grandparents. What does that mean..?

Lots of blanket judgements going on by the sounds of it. Frankly if someone 'not English' is that keen to do what they have to to play for England, fair enough. More of a deliberate and concerted effort than the guy who comes from 26 generations of English people who have all lived in the same town their whole life and never left the UK shores.

That makes you English - Army bases like embassies are consider part of the country they represent.

You've got UK nationality by virtue of your parents. You can't have German nationality unless one of your parents qualified to become a naturalised German citizen in their own right, which I think means living there for 8 years.

So IIRC - and I'm thinking here of the example of Richard Horne, who was born on the Isle of Man - you could have your pick of any of the home nations in terms of who you represent because while you have UK nationality, you weren't born in any of the constituent countries or principalities of the UK.

I'd be interested to see whether some of the posters on here think Mikolaj Oledzki should be representing England Academy, given he was born in Poland but grew up here?

Funny that the responses have had a bit more patience / been less dismissive toward me since the second adding the detail of being a forces baby...

People have different reasons if / when they have the possibility to choose between different ones. Arguably that they have a choice means they are more committed to it than someone who does not.

I do think (like others have said) it is quite farcical administratively that having made that choice and represented one country you are then given the option to choose again further down the line.

Another interesting one is Jason Nightingale, Maori descendant born in Sydney and grew up in both New Zealand and Australia.

Mikolaj could represent whoever he wants IMO; if Poland would hold more for him, then brilliant and hope he has a stormer. If he feels 'English' firstly having been brought up here then I am pleased for him that he gets the chance to represent them (potentially) in the future because he has the option of both he has the right to choose and whichever it would be would earn massive respect.

Tonie Carroll - born in New Zealand, grew up in Queensland. Represented both countries.

Brent Webb - born in Cairns. of Torres Strait Islander heritage (a Melanesian people most closely linked to PNG although it forms part of Queensland), qualified for New Zealand by residency after moving to the Warriors.

Brad Thorn - born in New Zealand, relocated to Australia aged 8. Played his junior RL in Queensland, and for the Junior Kangaroos. Moved back to New Zealand to play for the All Blacks, back to Queensland and played Origin, then back to New Zealand and played for the All Blacks again.

All interesting cases that prove your nationality is more than just where you were born. The only one there I have any issue with is Brent Webb who didn't move to New Zealand until he was an adult.

James Tamou is of Māori and English descent born in NZ. Moved to Aus when he was 13, has represented NZ Māori and now plays for Australia.
For me he's a New Zealander.

now imagine that the RFL somehow got it's head out of the sand (or it's ) whichever and actually manages to organise some form of international games during the season.....how many of the NRL based players would:-
a) want to play for their adopted country
b) be allowed to play with the permission of their NRL clubs...????

wasn't Anthony Milford refused permission by Bennett to play for Samoa recently...just shows the contempt the NRL coaches have for international rugby