Looking at the limited information available, it appears that the players concerned had valid visas and work permits for this season. That means that by the strict letter of the rules they were eligible to play this season. The RFL will have received documents to that effect before registering them.

They became ineligible the instant that the UKBA deemed them to be in the country illegally due to past visa irregularities. Since they have had their contracts terminated immediately and are on their way out of the country, their registration status now becomes irrelevant.

Of course, if the UKBA investigation finds that the club knew that these players were here illegally due to the prior visa discrepancies then that would put the situation in a different light. I imagine that's why the RFL are refusing to comment at this time - until the UKBA completes the investigation it's impossible to say with certainty whether any RFL rules have been broken or not.

Also, as I pointed out above, it's entirely possible that some other clubs may be in the same position. If the UKBA decide to investigate RL as a whole then this could get extremely messy - the visa rules are so complicated that it's easy to make a genuine mistake.

I hope ukba do a full in depth review of every over seas player in the national leagues and sl. It would be interesting to find out just how big an issue this is and how many teams have been playing people under "loopholes" etc.

I don't think the flatcappers would be very happy if the moral high ground was ripped from beneath them.

[size=200POST OF THE WEEK!![/size

It strikes me that there are 2 types of Rugby League fan (on these boards, anyway)
1. There are the Fans that love the game. These people watch RL regardless of the division or competition, in the snow wind and rain and travel great distances and spending loads of money to do so. They may well support 1 main team (in any division), but the game is more important. These fans are split into 2 subsections of Pro/anti expansionist, but the good of the game will always come first.
2. There are the bitter & twisted bunch of t055ers who seem to get some satisfaction gloating over trouble at another club. They, in the most part, seem to reside in small towns that used to have great RL teams and bring shame to our game, whilst ignoring the shortcomings of their own clubs. The ignore the previous points deductions, loss of fans by 48% over 4 years, finishing rock bottom, winning 1 game all year and having an average attendance less than London. Instead, they like to say "told you so" when in reality they did no such thing. What they did do in July 2008 was spit their dummy's out because they, with their 100 year head start, were overlooked for a new team......progress does not sit well with these "fans".

As I understand it, this was a well used loophole and fully expect most of those who struggled to get the visas THIS year will be in the same boat.
We are the first victims of this retrospective law change. I fully expect more to follow.

Think we should really hurt Celtic on Saturday if we play like we did against Castleford. Looking at a ton imo.

why dont u other clubs give them a few loaners

I just read a hilarious post from a scouser Championship One team supporter.

He favours expansion only within rugby league areas.

I'd like to think the education system in widnes is a bit better than that.

Consider the meaning of the word EXPANSION scally.

There are a lot of bitter old flatcappers who are creaming their pants today over our ill fortune and sticking the boot in for our sheer TEMERITY in trying to adopt THEIR game.

Admittedly our management seem to be class A buffoons and admittedly we have been caught out by a retrospective law change.

But none of our players have beaten up or glassed their girlfriends and none of them have been caught doing drugs or taking steroids.

But bring the whingeing and griping and gloating and pontificating on.

We are Welsh. We've been fighting each other for 1500 years. give it yer best shot yer black pudding eating pigeon fanciers.


DISCLAIMER.
This is not aimed at those many decent RL fans who have offered us moral support as we (try to) progress in this game or even those who oppose our inclusion with reasoned argument. It is aimed solely at the whiners, the whingers and the bigots who are afraid to see the game expand beyond the North of England.

Don't underestimate the fact that there may be senior staff at UKBA who are Yawnion aficionados from Wales who have decided to bugger it up for the Crusaders. There are so many infringements of visas that UKBA can pick and chose who they target and leave their favorites alone. If your number comes up then you're toast.

I smell a rat here.

The rules probably have been applied differently especially to certain sports

I would suggest that if the rules were applied with the same intent at ALL the RFL clubs then a lot of players would be gone, also Union and if applied to Premier moronball there would be no teams at all!!!

But hey since when has sport ever been a fair game with a level playing field?