So, so frustrating how obviously wrong international eligibility is.

Agreed.
Its about time the sport tightened the eligibility rules.
Once a player declares themselves to be Australian (or wherever) that should be it.
If they have parents of different origin, then make a choice, but you shouldn't be allowed to change, especially if you have played for
your "home" nation already.- total nonesense, but "Fiji" do look strong.

Some people have mentioned bringing back GB to stop players drifting between the Celtic Nations and England, maybe the same thing could work for the Pacific Isles, i muddled together a Pacific team here: www.internationalrugbyleague.net ... lity-rules Imagine a competitive team playing Australia in Fiji, Tonga, Cook Islands and Samoa. It would be awesome.

Some people have mentioned bringing back GB to stop players drifting between the Celtic Nations and England, maybe the same thing could work for the Pacific Isles, i muddled together a Pacific team here: www.internationalrugbyleague.net ... lity-rules Imagine a competitive team playing Australia in Fiji, Tonga, Cook Islands and Samoa. It would be awesome.

Fully agree, but only what England are doing:
Chase - NZ, Brough - Scotland, McIlorum - Ireland, Ben Harrison - Ireland to name a few that have played for other nations and then become available for England.

This is one area where we should look to copy football, as soon as a player is capped by one nation he shouldnt be able to play for any other!!

Apart from talent. They're nowhere near good enough for England, but would vastly improve Ireland & Scotland.

I'd watch it. It would be brutal, I even think a Pacific Islanders tour of England would attract the crowds.

I understand people's frustations with regards eligibility rules, but the problem is if you forced a player to comit to one nation chances are the likes of Ireland, Scotland and the Pacific nations would struggle to get a side together. The solution isn't a quick fix unfortunatly. We have to have more test matches involving the devoping nations. England, Aus and NZ need to play more matches against nations like Fiji, Tonga and Samoa, as well the likes of Ireland and Scotland. At the moment the chances of it happening outside a world cup are almost zero. It would mean having to play matches during the SL/NRL season and I highly doubt the clubs will allow it to happen. It would probably mean scrapping SOO as well.

An 'Exiles' team in the Origin series would also stop people declaring themselves Australian just so they are eligible for NSW or QLD, then even the players like Jammer and Burgess could be playing in a Tri Tournament, it'd have more success there than it would here.

An Islanders team and a GB team on the international scene would go some way to stopping players switching but not fully, both teams would still not compete in a WC and the danger would be players on this side of the planet holding out for England and never playing international unless England come calling.

I think most people agree that there isn't an obvious fix, but there are some obvious things that need stopping immediatley, switching nations and worldwide domestic and International rules for example.

its interesting how you think a islander team & GB team would serve the same purpose???


a islander team made up of pacific island test players playing tests against NZ and playing in the 4nations,as a pacific islander team will do in 2014...actually benefits the pacific islands because its entices pacific islanders into staying with tonga,fiji samoa etc......

a GB team made up of 17 englishmen does f**k all for wales,scotland & ireland


leave england,australia & NZ out of the equation...this is about giving players from 2nd tier nations something to play for......


a pacific island team.....and......celtic tigers team serves the same purpose....which is how do we get players to opt for and stick with 2nd tierr nations..

Nonsense playing for some non description team that has no heritage and means nothing to you isn't going to alter the lure of SOO or a kiwi jersey.

Getting regular tours and opportunities to play for your nation will. When was last time a pacific nation/png had a proper tour?

when was the last time they properly played full stop...lol




and i wish people would stop going on about "touring" as being the be all and end all of RL...people go on about how GB touring every 4 years will solve everything!!........ENGLAND TOUR just about EVERY 2 YEARS!!...i followed them round australia for 7 weeks in 2008....i missed the 2010 4nations tour....we should have gone to new zealand this year until they out.....and im planing the next tour in 2014 for the 4nations..

There is an Australian Fijian rugby league website. The list of players eligible is impressive, though they have missed out on Lote Tuqiri, who captained Fiji from full back in the 2000 World Cup, and Tariq Sims.


Akuila Uate (Newcastle), Kevin Naiqama (Newcastle), Darrell Millard (Catalans), Marika Koroibete (Wests Tigers),

Jarryd Hayne (Parramatta)
Ryan Millard (Wests Magpies?)

John Sutton (South Sydney)
Wes Naiqama (Penrith), Tariq Sims (Nth Queensland)
Petero Civinoceva (Redcliffe Dolphins), [ ] , Ashton Sims (Nth Queensland)[/i

Apart from scrum half and hooker, the team would be all top class NRL players. Many of them are Fijian born.

You could fill in the remaining 5 positions with Fijian resident rugby league players.

Such a team would probably make the 4th spot in the semifinals, as it did in 2008. It would have the fastest set of backs in the World Cup, bar none.

It would be a team that would really challenge England. The key component needed would need to be a top class coach like Wayne Bennett.