Quote: BrisbaneRhino "The Tongan RL side is full of Aus/nz born players who clearly have enormous pride in representing Tonga and have lost money to play for them. They've helped boost the international game enormoysly by showing NRL players that Origin isn't everything.
What's weird to me is how RL seems to be the only sport where its seen to be an issue and GB/england the only country. Here in Aus the only adverse reaction is from dinosaurs like Gould who seemingly don't want international RL to grow.'"
I believe there were 2 Tongan born players in the RLWC17 Tongan squad. Nobody in NZ or Australia batted an eyelid, but the usual suspects in RL UK were out in force.
Yes, as a Game we have 5 Nations able to call themselves a majority "national" side, with the rest made up predominantly of heritage players, but SO WHAT?
I followed Ireland to Germany in 88, Italy in 90 and America in 94. Our side was made up of scots, Irish and English born players, we didn't care a jot. I think Liverpool won the 1st division championship in 1983 without an English born player in the team......the Sky didn't collapse and football fans care little.
If a player opts to represent a country, then the only rule should be that he/she cannot move to another nation. A couple of Tongans played that duality card and that I disagree with, but a couple of Okers opting for GB is fine in my eyes.
If Ireland win the Union RWC I won't care where the players were born and I suspect a series win in 2020 for GB over the Aussies will be the same for many people.