World Rugby voted to "increase the required residency period to be eligible for international rugby from three to five years," according to the LONDON TIMES. The global governing body approved the "recommended extension" that has been driven by vice-Chair Agustín Pichot at a council meeting held in Kyoto. It is hoped that raising the level from 36 to 60 months will "safeguard the playing resources of smaller nations" -- particularly the Pacific Island teams -- by "discouraging their stars from pledging allegiance to other countries." The decision effectively ends "project players," the "controversial policy" of players -- such as South African-born Ireland flanker CJ Stander -- being "lured away by other nations with the intention of representing them in the Test arena when eligible." Pichot said, "These amendments will ensure that the international arena is full of players devoted to their nation, who got there on merit" (LONDON TIMES, 5/10).
PACIFIC EXODUS: In London, Gerard Meagher reported the Rugby Football Union and the French Rugby Federation (FFR) "gave public support to the five-year proposal." France has already stated that it will "no longer select non-passport holders, having last year faced Australia in a match where all four wingers were Fijian." Pichot has been "concerned at the flood of players from the Pacific islands in particular" heading abroad in the "hope of representing other nations for greater financial rewards." Fijian-born England int'l Nathan Hughes previously said that "money was chief among his reasons for opting against representing his native Fiji" (GUARDIAN, 5/10).
OTHER CHANGES: REUTERS' Shinichi Saoshiro reported in additional changes, the World Rugby Council voted to make players with "10 years of cumulative residency" eligible to play for that country with immediate effect. There were also changes instituted to "prevent countries from capping players who are eligible to play for more than one national team as youngsters in order to prevent them from playing for another nation." From July, sevens players will only be "captured," or identified as having represented a country and therefore "forced to go through the residency period before switching, under two criteria" (REUTERS, 5/10).
