- Joined
- Oct 3, 2011
- Messages
- 4,682
- Country Flag
- Club or Nation
Its common knowledge Wales Online can be a 'little' parochial and can post an article or two that can act a 'bit' inflammatory and sometimes with little to back it up... and in fairness that could well be the case here.
So as we all know... and indeed it is something that has caused much consternation within the game (particularly with Argentinians... that isn't shade btw @Cruz_del_Sur ) the rules around international representation can be a little 'shady'. I for one will go to my grave rueing the day the Vunipola's chose to represent England over Wales but there are many of these cases and sometimes (particularly in the case of the Vunipola's when the players weren't actually born in the country but only moved here as kids) it just simply is what it is... and you can somewhat understand the lure.
But... (& as prefixed around WoL's somewhat less than stellar reputation it could be smoke without fire) if the RFU (through Eddie Jones and Richard Hill) are putting in serious work to lure LRZ to the 'Dark Side' it (maybe only for a Welsh man) seems a bridge too far. I hope the lad sticks to his guns and goes on to wear the Three Feathers with pride and accomplishment... but if it goes the other way and he ends up playing for England, well... I might actually give up on the game. I can 'understand' if a guy from one country 'chooses' to rep someone else if he knows he will struggle to make the grade at his nation of birth... or if his country of birth isn't one of the top tier nations (& my judgement here could well be swayed by my subjective viewpoint)... but if those two things don't apply and the player simply opts for what in this case i would imagine would be financial incentive, the only endgame I can see is.... wwwaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy down the road England (as the financial powerhouse) being a world XV and the other national teams being made up of the rest (whom England didn't fancy). I know this probably sounds overly alarmist... and in fairness if you've read my posts in the past you'll know that I am particularly fond of hyperbole, so understand that when reading the 'endgame' scenario... but this story just leaves a real bitter taste in the mouth.
Here's the link:
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/england-boss-eddie-jones-bids-17514334
So as we all know... and indeed it is something that has caused much consternation within the game (particularly with Argentinians... that isn't shade btw @Cruz_del_Sur ) the rules around international representation can be a little 'shady'. I for one will go to my grave rueing the day the Vunipola's chose to represent England over Wales but there are many of these cases and sometimes (particularly in the case of the Vunipola's when the players weren't actually born in the country but only moved here as kids) it just simply is what it is... and you can somewhat understand the lure.
But... (& as prefixed around WoL's somewhat less than stellar reputation it could be smoke without fire) if the RFU (through Eddie Jones and Richard Hill) are putting in serious work to lure LRZ to the 'Dark Side' it (maybe only for a Welsh man) seems a bridge too far. I hope the lad sticks to his guns and goes on to wear the Three Feathers with pride and accomplishment... but if it goes the other way and he ends up playing for England, well... I might actually give up on the game. I can 'understand' if a guy from one country 'chooses' to rep someone else if he knows he will struggle to make the grade at his nation of birth... or if his country of birth isn't one of the top tier nations (& my judgement here could well be swayed by my subjective viewpoint)... but if those two things don't apply and the player simply opts for what in this case i would imagine would be financial incentive, the only endgame I can see is.... wwwaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyy down the road England (as the financial powerhouse) being a world XV and the other national teams being made up of the rest (whom England didn't fancy). I know this probably sounds overly alarmist... and in fairness if you've read my posts in the past you'll know that I am particularly fond of hyperbole, so understand that when reading the 'endgame' scenario... but this story just leaves a real bitter taste in the mouth.
Here's the link:
https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/england-boss-eddie-jones-bids-17514334
Last edited: