I dont mind when it's because of family like pats parents being Irish but I'm not sure about residency yet. I think growing up with football as the main sport in the house makes it seem odd to me but I know all the pacific islanders do it so suppose it ain't too bad as it's what the others do just seems odd to me.
It's not like he could show any less passion for the shirt than the rest of the squad/some of the fans though is it?

Joke

how very strange

what the hell happens to Widdop now?

Pacific Islanders often have to choose because their parents/grandparents were from the Islands but emigrated and the player may have been brought up in New Zealand or Australia. So fair enough, they have a decision to make between the country of their parentage or country of their upbringing. They can be nationals of both, of course.

What I don't like is someone coming over here as an adult to further their career and then being picking as "English" because they've been here a handful of years. Jeez, Rangi even sounds like the Kiwi he is.

Good to hear. If he qualifies for residency that's good enough for me. He's old enough to make the choice for himself.

Likewise if some of the English lads down under decide they want to play for Australia, that's fine. Although I wouldn't give them the time of day if they came back and I'm sure the same is true for Chase in New Zealand. That's the sacrifice you make.

He was misquoted. What he actually said was "Its been a dream of mine to wear the Red and White of England which is why I came here in the first place. I just wish the Country of my birth didnt have sh*t stars on the flag of Great Britain. God Save The Queen."

I think players should only be named in International sides if they truly believe that that is their nationality. Civoniceva for example was born in Fiji, moved to Oz when he was 2 and deems himself to be an Aussie. I have no issues at all with him playing for Australia. Someone who has moved here for a few years and isn't good enough to get in his own squad (debateable perhaps) should not be able to play for England unless he has a British passport and truly believes he is English. If Rangi believes that in the way Tony Smith does then welcome aboard.

He plays alongside Chase?

Cue the good old north of england names for him

I'll start with Angus Chase

Think you will have to travel a bit further north for that one .

International RL.......................what an absoulute joke. Sums up yet again why I have absoulutely no interest in it what so ever.

Absolute farce. I wont cheer him at Wembley next month.

What message does this send to the likes of Widdop/Lomax, when they go to RU, the same people who are saying this is about winning the 4 Nations, will be the first to and moan about it.

I may get shot down for this, but I genuinly dont think anybody cares about international RL in this country anymore, the crowds for the four nations will prove that, just like the world cup game when we couldnt even sell out the DW against the Aussies, and once again RL will be shown up on national television when we get spanked by the Aussies in front of an 80% empty Wembley. I cant quite put my finger on why but I just dont care at all about the National team, im the same with Football. Things like this though, having kiwis, samoans etc etc dont make things any better, they just make our national team even more of a laughing stock and send out a terrible message to the likes of Lomax and Widdop.

The only way you will get any interest in the national game is if they bring back the GB tours every 4 years. Fact.

Everyone saying 'others do it so why dont we' Australia and NZ have Samoans/Tongans playing for them, which lets be honest, is just like a Welsh/Irish playing for us - that I can understand but players like Rangi and Manu is just ridiculous, can you imagine smoeone from europe playing for Australia? In any sport? This is embarrassing. Whats wrong with Widdop, Lomax, Brough, McGuire, Burrow etc? What sort of message does this send out to the young kids like Mellor, Powell, Gaskell, O'Brian etc coming through the ranks in SL?

I was considering going to wembley to watch England v Aus but this has made my mind up for me, im not wasting my money on the pathetic state that is England RL.

Got to be Ronald.

Ron to his new mates.

Ron Chase sounds more like a cricketer.

Think he needs to be called.

Noambitiontowintrophies Chase.

Staying at Cas says all about him. To be known as Trophyless to his new team mates.

And that attitude is why international RL is a joke (and i'm not just picking on you). Fans aren't happy when we're getting pummeled by the Aussies on a regular basis and now that we've got a decent team being put together they're not happy because it has one guy in who wants to play for England and qualifies through the rules (no matter how stupid you think they are). Lomax and Gaskell have bright futures, but why throw them right in the deep end at test match level? We just need to get behind the team.

If the Yawnion lot were in a similar situation do you think the fans would stop supporting them and flocking to Twickenham to watch them play Canada or some other bunch of jokers? No, they wouldn't. And we'll struggle to fill Leigh Sports Village for an international against Wales. Pathetic.

Tuilagi. Hape. Pietersen. Hargreaves.

Its just the way it is now. Can't say I'm that bothered about it.

What about the bonkers situation of Tonie Carroll? He played for both New Zealand and Australia against each other!! Brad Thorn is another except he did it in Yawnion/RL. Hardly like a Welsh mon playing for us.

Im going to Wembley to cheer on the boys and any self respecting RL fan that can afford to should be there aswell. I remember the good old days of standing side by side with Hull, Stains, Leeds fans at Old Trafford/Elland Road and all being as one, and as passionate as shouting for Wigan. It was superb!!!

Thats beside the point anyway, so wht if they do it? We are England, all our country is about is history and pride, having to play a Kiwi who isnt good enough for the national Kiwi side just es all over that. Just because they do it doesnt mean we should too. I'd rather watch players like Lomax and Widdop play their hearts out for us than a half d effort from Rangi Chase. Do you think if he got an offer to play for NZ after impressing for England he would even think about sticking with England? Not a chance.

There is a complete difference between the 4 people you have quoted though. The first two as far as I'm aware only qualify to play for England on the grounds of residency. Whereas Pietersen has an English mother and Hargeaves has an English father, so for them there is some connection to England.

IMO the 1st two mentioned should never play for England as in no way are linked but unfortunately these days in Sport they are the rules. I reckon though if we won the 4 Nations and the player in question (Chase) showed passion and won it for us, few would complain.

Yeah I feel similar. Born in the country or have parents who were that nationality.

I agree with you, if me and thousands others went to wembley it would do the game more good than it does bad but im not wasting my hard earned money on travelling to the other side of the country to watch a game with a team of which the coach i have no faith in, players who shouldnt even be there and other fans who boo one of the best players we have. I'd rather spend money on a new tv and sit at home and watch it with a beer.

FWIW I'll be going to the game at Leigh and even the Aus v NZ at Warrington because they're basically on the doorstep but for various RFL/England RL related problems like this I wont be wasting my money on a trip to Wembley.

FWIW I disagree in principle with him playing for England but I can certainly live with it.
After watching his interview I can't really see were you get the idea that he'll just an half d effort, far far from it I'd say. He knows full well everybody including his fellow players will be watching how he goes and any less than 100% and he'll cop it big time, so I ain't worried on that score.
Looking at the players we now have at our disposal we are in a far better position than we were for the 2008 WC or last years 4 Nations. Its not the players I worry about it the clown of a coach we currently have.

A shameless plug, but here's a blog post on the matter!

[urlhttp://thisisrugbyleague.wordpress.com/2011/10/03/england-cut-to-the-chase/[/url