One of the best backrowers in the world on his day. Why not?

Aussies have been doing it for years.
Lote Tuqiri
Tonie Carrol
Willie Mason
Akuila Uate
Antonio Kafusi
Tony Williams

Does Rolf Harris qualify?

Yes through residency

T-Rex is Australian.

Played for tonga first though

He did in the rlwc under the proviso that it wouldn't affect his future Australian chances, same deal as Jennings. Just a few weeks earlier they played against tonga for the junior kangaroos. Just another reason we need a one nation for life rule!

The only one on that list who could be regarded as a "doing it for years" type scenario is uate. Kafusi played for Australia first, the other 3 played one off tournaments in the 2000 rlwc for another country to make other teams more competitive, which is of course is ridiculous but that is how the leaders of our sport think. Instead of actually developing national teams, they go for the quick fix which does nothing for the sport in the long run.

Im pretty sure Kiwi born kiwi world cup finalist Tonie Carroll didnt represent New Zealand in the 2000 wc to make them competitive.

And maybe born and raised fijian international Lote Tuqiri might take issue with someone describing his representing the country of his birth, his childhood, and his heritage as a badge of convenience.

Just how are the likes of Tonga going to 'develop' if you can only play for them and nobody else? You've just destroyed the interest of any ambitious NRL players in ever playing for them, and at the same time prevented past-it Kiwis from playing for them at the end of their career. What kind of teams would they be able to field then (bearing inmind they are already miles behind even England)?

As for Mateo, he'd be excellent. Personally I think McNamara is doing a bang up job at least as far as recruitment goes. As far as I can tell he's not 'tapping' anybody - he's just letting it be known he's open to discussions and letting players approach him - which means they are already showing a level of interest. He's also playing to the same rules as other sports, which seem to bring barely a murmur of protest.

International RL will only 'develop' if England and NZ are regularly competitive with Australia. All countries beyond that group are irrelevant in terms of competition until that happens.

I believe any player with english parents should defo be able to represent england, whats wrong with it.

At the time Carroll was a qld rep and in the Australian train on squad for the world cup. He was given assurances that playing for NZ wouldn't affect his future qld and Australian chances.



He was not raised in Fiji, he left there as a toddler. It would of been great if tuqiri played for Fiji for his career, but he was given the same assurances as carroll and had no intention of sticking with them post world cup.

Feleti Mateo?
As has just been commented on NZ radio, maybe it was the thought of playing for England that led to all that dropped ball against the roosters at the weekend

On his day, he's a class player, but bearing in mind he lasted half a season in London (English Passport origins I believe), he has represented Tonga in a RLWC, the Aussie Schoolboys, Junior Roos, NSW Juniors and NSW City, it does make a bit of a farce of the rules.
He was born in Australia and he has represented them at 2 age levels, as well as playing for the NSW juniors......switching to England just smacks of desperation on both parts.

Quote: hutch "At the time Carroll was a qld rep and in the Australian train on squad for the world cup. He was given assurances that playing for NZ wouldn't affect his future qld and Australian chances. He was not raised in Fiji, he left there as a toddler. It would of been great if tuqiri played for Fiji for his career, but he was given the same assurances as carroll and had no intention of sticking with them post world cup.'" “I've always said I'm a Kiwi,” Carroll said in the interview with One Sport. “I love being a Kiwi" www.theaustralian.com.au/news/ca ... 1115551633 Hardly a badge of convenience. Maybe more players would choose to stay with their original nations if they ever got games against the big boys and the ARL didnt dangle the carrot of SoO as a reward for switching.

Quote: hutch "At the time Carroll was a qld rep and in the Australian train on squad for the world cup. He was given assurances that playing for NZ wouldn't affect his future qld and Australian chances. He was not raised in Fiji, he left there as a toddler. It would of been great if tuqiri played for Fiji for his career, but he was given the same assurances as carroll and had no intention of sticking with them post world cup.'" “I've always said I'm a Kiwi,” Carroll said in the interview with One Sport. “I love being a Kiwi" www.theaustralian.com.au/news/ca ... 1115551633 Hardly a badge of convenience. Maybe more players would choose to stay with their original nations if they ever got games against the big boys and the ARL didnt dangle the carrot of SoO as a reward for switching.

Aussie's at it again. www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 6320055379

Aussie's at it again. www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 6320055379