I know ESL has a much more leniant stance on crims playing the game but I didn't realise Bird was actually still playing! Surely having been found guilty and sentenced to 9 months for glassing a woman, pending appeal, he shouldn't be sullying the name of RL should he?

And if his appeal finds him not guilty, are you going to pay the RFLs legal fees when he sues for restraint of trade?

HE'S appealing the sentence not the offence surely?

He is not subject to British law by being employed in France.

either way he isn't in jail so why can't he play? Don't think he should lose his job until he is actually in jail......especially as he didn't commit any crime in France or UK.
If he was considered a danger they wouldn't have let him out after the sentencing.

No one stopped Chev (and others I can't remember) from playing when they got community service, effectively serving a sentence.

What does it matter? He's done NOTHING in the whole time he's been playing SL

And he doesn't play for St Helens so there is no need for a witch hunt like Leon Pryce received.

I'm surprised that the UK Border Agency let him enter this country for the Dragons' away games given their recent penchant for scrutinising Australian RL players closely.

Wonder if Hock will be allowed to play for the Catalans in the home games.

No IMO he should not be playing.

a wire fan mentioned to me on saturday how could bird play and the likes of eastwood fails a visa for minor driving offences 5 years ago?
couldn't answer the bloke,it's a joke.

I would be miffed if Saints had signed him. And IMHO, no, he shouldn't be playing.

ask the rfl panel news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 181892.stm

ask the rfl panel news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_l ... 181892.stm

Personally I couldn’t care less what players do off the pitch as that’s for the legal system to sort out.

because france n uk have different visa rules, and since he doesn't require anything from the uk to play catalans away games, he's good to go. (whether is correct is another matter)