A prominent French rugby agent believes World Rugby's more stringent eligibility qualifications are unlikely to impact southern hemisphere players' migration to the north.
World Rugby this week announced that it will from 2020 increase the residency period to be eligible to play Test rugby in a different country from 36 consecutive months to 60.
The move has been widely hailed as it may dissuade players from taking up residency elsewhere in the hope of representing an adopted country.
The proliferation of players from the Pacific islands playing for countries in Europe‚ as well as Australia and New Zealand has caused disquiet in the rugby community.
Former Los Pumas captain Agustin Pichot‚ now World Rugby's vice chairman‚ has driven the process which has seen the governing body this week announcing a tightening of eligibility regulations.
South African players have in increasing numbers been attracted to the north but Damien Dussault chief executive of player agency Digidust Sport‚ doesn't believe the change in criteria will stem the number of players opting to play their rugby in Europe.
More than 300 South Africans are playing professional rugby abroad and it is only natural under the previous regulations‚ that some of them became eligible to play for other countries.
“Players don't necessarily move with the aim of representing a different country‚" explained Dussault.
"A lot of players move to France with no intention of playing for France. A guy like Bernard le Roux moved when he was young but his motivation wasn't to play for France.
"That's just how things developed as he embraced the French culture. In my experience the players have other considerations like money and lifestyle when they decide to move.”
Apart from Le Roux‚ South Africans who have qualified to play for other countries in recent years include Rory Kockott‚ Antonie Claassen and Scott Spedding for France‚ Brad Barritt‚ and Mouritz Botha for England‚ WP Nel‚ Josh Strauss and Allan Dell for Scotland‚ Quintin Geldenhuys for Italy‚ Marcel Brache for Australia‚ Richardt Strauss and CJ Stander for Ireland‚ DTH van der Merwe (USA) and Johannes van Heerden for Romania.
Dussault who among others represents Gurthrö Steenkamp‚ Gerhard Mostert‚ Heinke van der Merwe and Morné Steyn believes the change in criteria “is a good thing”.
“If players feel they need to play elsewhere to try and play Test rugby because they are not being selected for the national team‚ that is a bad reason.
"Teams like Scotland‚ Wales and Ireland have these special projects where they target foreign players in positions where they have a shortfall.
"That is a quick fix. Instead of targeting players from other countries maybe they should invest in improving the players who are available for them.
"If you don't have tightheads for instance‚ then create a culture that will produce tightheads.”
Dussault said some of the less scrupulous in his fraternity actually encourage young players to take up contracts abroad with the aim of playing for their adopted countries.
“That simply is the wrong motivation for moving from the country of your birth.” - TMG Digital/TMG Sport
World Rugby's eligibility qualifications unlikely to impact southern hemisphere players' migration to the north
A prominent French rugby agent believes World Rugby's more stringent eligibility qualifications are unlikely to impact southern hemisphere players' migration to the north.
World Rugby this week announced that it will from 2020 increase the residency period to be eligible to play Test rugby in a different country from 36 consecutive months to 60.
The move has been widely hailed as it may dissuade players from taking up residency elsewhere in the hope of representing an adopted country.
The proliferation of players from the Pacific islands playing for countries in Europe‚ as well as Australia and New Zealand has caused disquiet in the rugby community.
Former Los Pumas captain Agustin Pichot‚ now World Rugby's vice chairman‚ has driven the process which has seen the governing body this week announcing a tightening of eligibility regulations.
South African players have in increasing numbers been attracted to the north but Damien Dussault chief executive of player agency Digidust Sport‚ doesn't believe the change in criteria will stem the number of players opting to play their rugby in Europe.
More than 300 South Africans are playing professional rugby abroad and it is only natural under the previous regulations‚ that some of them became eligible to play for other countries.
“Players don't necessarily move with the aim of representing a different country‚" explained Dussault.
"A lot of players move to France with no intention of playing for France. A guy like Bernard le Roux moved when he was young but his motivation wasn't to play for France.
"That's just how things developed as he embraced the French culture. In my experience the players have other considerations like money and lifestyle when they decide to move.”
Apart from Le Roux‚ South Africans who have qualified to play for other countries in recent years include Rory Kockott‚ Antonie Claassen and Scott Spedding for France‚ Brad Barritt‚ and Mouritz Botha for England‚ WP Nel‚ Josh Strauss and Allan Dell for Scotland‚ Quintin Geldenhuys for Italy‚ Marcel Brache for Australia‚ Richardt Strauss and CJ Stander for Ireland‚ DTH van der Merwe (USA) and Johannes van Heerden for Romania.
Dussault who among others represents Gurthrö Steenkamp‚ Gerhard Mostert‚ Heinke van der Merwe and Morné Steyn believes the change in criteria “is a good thing”.
“If players feel they need to play elsewhere to try and play Test rugby because they are not being selected for the national team‚ that is a bad reason.
"Teams like Scotland‚ Wales and Ireland have these special projects where they target foreign players in positions where they have a shortfall.
"That is a quick fix. Instead of targeting players from other countries maybe they should invest in improving the players who are available for them.
"If you don't have tightheads for instance‚ then create a culture that will produce tightheads.”
Dussault said some of the less scrupulous in his fraternity actually encourage young players to take up contracts abroad with the aim of playing for their adopted countries.
“That simply is the wrong motivation for moving from the country of your birth.” - TMG Digital/TMG Sport
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