World Rugby has announced significant changes in international player eligibility following discussions at the World Rugby Council meeting in Kyoto, Japan, this week.
Most noticeable is the residency rule. The old residency rules allowed a player who lived in a specific country for three uninterrupted years to represent that country on its national team. That period of residency has now changed from 36 months to 60 months to ensure "that a player has a genuine, close, credible and established link with the nation of representation," according to World Rugby's announcement.
In addition, effective May 10, 2017, any player who had accumulated 10 years of residency (even if it is not consecutive) in one country can represent that country.
"This reform of Regulation 8 governing eligibility is an important and necessary step to protecting the integrity and credibility of international rugby," World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont said. "This extension to the residency period within a forward-thinking reform package will ensure a close, credible, and established link between a union and players, which is good for rugby and good for fans.
World Rugby Vice Chairman Agustin Pichot drove the campaign to change the rules. He added, "National team representation is the reward for devoting your career, your rugby life, to your nation, and these amendments will ensure that the international arena is full of players devoted to their nation, who got there on merit."
What this means is that it will be a lot harder for an athlete to simply move to another country and wait to be eligible. And in fact it gives a player's country of birth or original citizenship move time to identify that player and get him or her on its national team. The 10-year clause basically addresses players who have moved to a new country but also have had to play professionally in another country.
The changes to Regulation 8 don't really affect the Olympics, because for the Games, you have to be a citizen of the country you represent. Residency alone doesn't cut it.
The changes also didn't address eligibility based on parentage or grandparents. Also not affected is the rule that (unless for the Olympics) once you play for one country, you can't switch to another.
Most noticeable is the residency rule. The old residency rules allowed a player who lived in a specific country for three uninterrupted years to represent that country on its national team. That period of residency has now changed from 36 months to 60 months to ensure "that a player has a genuine, close, credible and established link with the nation of representation," according to World Rugby's announcement.
In addition, effective May 10, 2017, any player who had accumulated 10 years of residency (even if it is not consecutive) in one country can represent that country.
"This reform of Regulation 8 governing eligibility is an important and necessary step to protecting the integrity and credibility of international rugby," World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont said. "This extension to the residency period within a forward-thinking reform package will ensure a close, credible, and established link between a union and players, which is good for rugby and good for fans.
World Rugby Vice Chairman Agustin Pichot drove the campaign to change the rules. He added, "National team representation is the reward for devoting your career, your rugby life, to your nation, and these amendments will ensure that the international arena is full of players devoted to their nation, who got there on merit."
What this means is that it will be a lot harder for an athlete to simply move to another country and wait to be eligible. And in fact it gives a player's country of birth or original citizenship move time to identify that player and get him or her on its national team. The 10-year clause basically addresses players who have moved to a new country but also have had to play professionally in another country.
The changes to Regulation 8 don't really affect the Olympics, because for the Games, you have to be a citizen of the country you represent. Residency alone doesn't cut it.
The changes also didn't address eligibility based on parentage or grandparents. Also not affected is the rule that (unless for the Olympics) once you play for one country, you can't switch to another.