I wasn't trolling, I was taking the mick.


It was a bit bloody silly, along with not letting Greg Bird in despite not being convicted of anything!

I hope so even if he was English i still think he is poop he looks good in a poor team ie cas

Don't you have to have an English passport to play for England? That would make him eligible to work over here.

I can't say I'm thrilled. Yes he was last year's Man of Steel but he's too individual for me and he could be a bad influence. I would have much preferred Daniel Holdsworth from Salford.

The fact that he got a visa and was admitted to the UK after the conviction suggests to me that the visa issue is being overplayed. Of course it could be a problem, but I'd be surprised given the precedents. Greg Bird was admitted to the UK every other week with a conviction a few years back, and Rangi can change his visa here, he doesn't have to go outside the country

I thought he was convicted, but then later acquitted?

Well he's fooled his fellow professionals who voted him Man of Steel, journalists who voted him winner of the Albert Goldthorpe Medal, Howie Tamati who picked him for the Maoris, Brian McLennan who selected him for the Exiles and Steve McNamara who selected him for England.

Still what would them lot know, eh?

He was convicted at the end of April 2009 (and obviously later acquitted) but his visa was rejected back in February 2009.
They had to let him in the country every other week as he gained a French visa.

Re Chase, while the incident occurred before he joined Cas he wasn't convicted until last year, so it could well affect any new visa application. Obviously I'm no expert, but given the examples mentioned already plus a few others I'd be surprised if it's not a factor in his visa decision even if he still gets one.

Surely you need a passport or citizen status to play for England and not just a working visa?

Nope, the rules are:

[iEligibility for International Rugby League 
      3.1   A player is eligible to play an International Match for:-
(a)        the country in which he was born;
(b)        the country in which either of his parents or any of his grandparents was born;
(c)        the country which has been his principal place of residence for a period of three years up to the date of his selection;
(d)        the country that he has represented pursuant to paragraph 3.2 (irrespective of whether that country continues to be his principal place of residence) provided that he has not subsequently represented any other country pursuant to Rule 3.3 below.[/i
From the RLIF website

As an Aussie he needed UKBA permission to enter under the immigration rules, regardless of the French visa and if he was denied the visa in the first place because of the charge, then after conviction it's arguable he shouldn't have been admitted at all.


He's already been admitted to the UK since the conviction so UKBA have effectively said its ok. It will certainly be a factor in any application, but its anyone's guess as to what's going on.

Only a rovers fan could label the current MOS just because he may be signing for Hull FC.