I don't think that's the case. Bosc is classed a french fed trained player only, its similar that if say Tom Briscoe wanted to go to cats he would be classed as non fed trained in France and would be classed on there quota. I seem to remember it being mentioned when a club where looking to sign one of the French Catalans players.

Nope.

England and France have their own RL Federations, so French players are classed as non-Federation trained as far as signing for English clubs are concerned, and vice versa. They don't count as quota because they have European passports, unlike most Aussies.

From next season it will be 5 players who can't play for England, regardless of where they come from. So not far off.

Didn't some bizarre aspect of teh quota regs mean we couldn't sign some RU player who was from Hull last season?

It's not bizarre, it's very simple. Any player who wasn't trained in the home RL Federation of the team wanting to sign him counts as non-Fed trained. It's fair to assume that someone completely new to RL wasn't trained in the home RL Federation.

It is a simple rule but it doesnt stop it from being bizarre. There is no way that clubs can entertain signing a Rugby Union player under the current format which is a crying shame given the success of converts over the years. I am not just talking about internationals either. Both Hull and Rovers for example have had success with local Rugby Union converts.

It's a consequence of the only legal way of limiting the number of foreign players in SL. That's hardly 'bizarre' IMO.

And clubs can still sign RU players as long as they're good enough to warrant a non-Fed player spot.

Remember that the quota rules are also intended to encourage clubs to develop their own players rather than just sign ready-made alternatives.

You do not know if a Union player is good enough until he has played our game so they are hardly ready-made. I appreciate the legal reasons for the rule but i am in favour of some positive descrimination towards Union players or we may never see the likes of Marlow and Barkworth again.

Not exactly what the rules are there to guard against though is it?

I do see your point, but I can't think of any way to positively discriminate in favour of RU players without blowing the entire quota system out of the water.

Just use the place they played their first pro RL game

simplez

That's just made me think of another anomaly - I wonder how things would stand should Gareth Widdop come home? Will he be classed as non-fed trained?

I can see where Rule is coming from but don't agree with him. It would lead to misuse of the system as teams look for loopholes to gain the slightest advantage.