A tweak to rugby’s residency rule could make it easier for England to poach Welsh-born players
Fears are growing over a change to World Rugby’s eligibility laws that could lead to more young Welsh talent being poached by England, with some figures in the game believing the “worrying development” could leave us ‘screwed’.
A new amendment was brought in back in August that loosened the eligibility criteria, with players no longer required to complete 60 months of unbroken residency to qualify for a country.
One Welsh coach indicated that the amendment could be a “worrying development” for the game in Wales, with MailOnline being told by a Welsh source that the changes will “screw us”.
Instead, under the new amendment to regulation 8.1 (c) concerning national eligibility on residency grounds, players now have to complete a 60-month ‘rugby registration’ in their adopted nation, but, crucially, will be allowed to travel during that period.
As such, Welsh-born players being educated in England or anywhere else would not necessarily need to prove they had permanently relocated and were financially independent in order to become eligible for their new nation. All they would need is to be able to demonstrate registration with a rugby body, including a national union or club.
That could be the case with highly-rated teenage hooker Kepueli Tuipulotu. The Pontypool-born Tuipulotu is the son of former Dragons centre Sione and younger brother of Wales Women international Sisilia, with the Welsh Rugby Union having made it a priority to convince him to represent Wales rather than England.
However, that has always seemed unlikely – given the young talent has already signed with Bath following his time at Harrow, while he has also represented England U18s.
While his intentions have seemingly always been to play for England, the WRU have had at least a fighting chance to tempt Tuipulotu because of the lengthy waiting time required to qualify for England.
Previously, it was understood that, to qualify for England on residency, he would have to serve five years in England separate to his time at Harrow, given his permanent residence while studying would likely have been deemed to be back in Wales.
WalesOnline has previously been told Tuipulotu is one of many dual-qualified players the WRU have targeted, with the Pontypool-born forward at the top of the list.
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