Big D wrote:It's an interesting debate, wee Heathcote and Jones are clear outliers on the eligibility front.
Not educated or lived in Scotland for any great length of time (days in TH case) but you can't really raise the eligibility rules higher than born in the country.
You can't change that either. To slightly contrive a situation that is clearly different to TH and Jones but why I think these outliers just need to be accepted as things that will happen. I have a 2 year old and a 2 day old. Say I moved next week to Australia for good, and they grew up to be international class. If I raised them to be proud of their Scottish roots why shouldn't they be able to play for Scotland.
If they're international class then they're really too good to be wasting their time with Scotland
Big D wrote:It's an interesting debate, wee Heathcote and Jones are clear outliers on the eligibility front.
Not educated or lived in Scotland for any great length of time (days in TH case) but you can't really raise the eligibility rules higher than born in the country.
You can't change that either. To slightly contrive a situation that is clearly different to TH and Jones but why I think these outliers just need to be accepted as things that will happen. I have a 2 year old and a 2 day old. Say I moved next week to Australia for good, and they grew up to be international class. If I raised them to be proud of their Scottish roots why shouldn't they be able to play for Scotland.
If they're international class then they're really too good to be wasting their time with Scotland
Big D wrote:It's an interesting debate, wee Heathcote and Jones are clear outliers on the eligibility front.
Not educated or lived in Scotland for any great length of time (days in TH case) but you can't really raise the eligibility rules higher than born in the country.
You can't change that either. To slightly contrive a situation that is clearly different to TH and Jones but why I think these outliers just need to be accepted as things that will happen. I have a 2 year old and a 2 day old. Say I moved next week to Australia for good, and they grew up to be international class. If I raised them to be proud of their Scottish roots why shouldn't they be able to play for Scotland.
If they're international class then they're really too good to be wasting their time with Scotland
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Is this hypothetical? If not congrats on the new arrival ...
Is Wales the only team in the 6 nations without a South African (trained) player?
It's incredible how many International team have South African Elements. What is so different with the way they are taught Rugby?
Congratulations Big D on the New Born!!! (let me know if it gets easier with the second one )
Adder wrote:Is Wales the only team in the 6 nations without a South African (trained) player?
It's incredible how many International team have South African Elements. What is so different with the way they are taught Rugby?
Congratulations Big D on the New Born!!! (let me know if it gets easier with the second one )
Big D wrote:It's an interesting debate, wee Heathcote and Jones are clear outliers on the eligibility front.
Not educated or lived in Scotland for any great length of time (days in TH case) but you can't really raise the eligibility rules higher than born in the country.
You can't change that either. To slightly contrive a situation that is clearly different to TH and Jones but why I think these outliers just need to be accepted as things that will happen. I have a 2 year old and a 2 day old. Say I moved next week to Australia for good, and they grew up to be international class. If I raised them to be proud of their Scottish roots why shouldn't they be able to play for Scotland.
I think the rules just need to be tightened with respect to residency length and maybe 2 grandparents rather 1 for example. But for place of birth I think we just have to accept that there will be rare cases where someone is born in a country that they may have no real tie too other than parents worked/holidayed there for a short period.
Adder wrote:Is Wales the only team in the 6 nations without a South African (trained) player?
It's incredible how many International team have South African Elements. What is so different with the way they are taught Rugby?
Congratulations Big D on the New Born!!! (let me know if it gets easier with the second one )
Hardly unique to SA. How about NZ? Maitland, Payne and Anscombe are all currently in the international picture for their respective sides. Suppose you could argue Harrison for England too but I'm not sure he was ever a full professional in NZ.
Big D wrote:It's an interesting debate, wee Heathcote and Jones are clear outliers on the eligibility front.
Not educated or lived in Scotland for any great length of time (days in TH case) but you can't really raise the eligibility rules higher than born in the country.
You can't change that either. To slightly contrive a situation that is clearly different to TH and Jones but why I think these outliers just need to be accepted as things that will happen. I have a 2 year old and a 2 day old. Say I moved next week to Australia for good, and they grew up to be international class. If I raised them to be proud of their Scottish roots why shouldn't they be able to play for Scotland.
Congratulations mate.
I agree with you but how do you prove that?
You don't, which is why the rules are a compromise between allowing for the fact that some may have been brought up in that way and preventing a flag of convenience. I personally think the balance isn't quite right, but that's by the by.
And CONGRATULATIONS BIG D! We'll have the Ireland qualified one if he's any good.
I refuse to have a battle of wits with an unarmed person.
Big D wrote:It's an interesting debate, wee Heathcote and Jones are clear outliers on the eligibility front.
Not educated or lived in Scotland for any great length of time (days in TH case) but you can't really raise the eligibility rules higher than born in the country.
You can't change that either. To slightly contrive a situation that is clearly different to TH and Jones but why I think these outliers just need to be accepted as things that will happen. I have a 2 year old and a 2 day old. Say I moved next week to Australia for good, and they grew up to be international class. If I raised them to be proud of their Scottish roots why shouldn't they be able to play for Scotland.
Congratulations mate.
I agree with you but how do you prove that?
You don't, which is why the rules are a compromise between allowing for the fact that some may have been brought up in that way and preventing a flag of convenience. I personally think the balance isn't quite right, but that's by the by.
And CONGRATULATIONS BIG D! We'll have the Ireland qualified one if he's any good.
Big D wrote:It's an interesting debate, wee Heathcote and Jones are clear outliers on the eligibility front.
Not educated or lived in Scotland for any great length of time (days in TH case) but you can't really raise the eligibility rules higher than born in the country.
You can't change that either. To slightly contrive a situation that is clearly different to TH and Jones but why I think these outliers just need to be accepted as things that will happen. I have a 2 year old and a 2 day old. Say I moved next week to Australia for good, and they grew up to be international class. If I raised them to be proud of their Scottish roots why shouldn't they be able to play for Scotland.
Congratulations.
100% agree. Nationality is a tricky one so you'll never get rules that are perfect or fit in with everyone's ideas. Like eugene I would change the residency one but under any rules Huw Jones would be eligible.
My idea has always been for people to have to make a decision when they sign their first professional contract as I think that would stop the embarassing cases of people trying to get in one team, failing and then settling for Scotland. I dont know if you have any views on that from an employment law angle Eugene?
Big D wrote:It's an interesting debate, wee Heathcote and Jones are clear outliers on the eligibility front.
Not educated or lived in Scotland for any great length of time (days in TH case) but you can't really raise the eligibility rules higher than born in the country.
You can't change that either. To slightly contrive a situation that is clearly different to TH and Jones but why I think these outliers just need to be accepted as things that will happen. I have a 2 year old and a 2 day old. Say I moved next week to Australia for good, and they grew up to be international class. If I raised them to be proud of their Scottish roots why shouldn't they be able to play for Scotland.
Congratulations.
100% agree. Nationality is a tricky one so you'll never get rules that are perfect or fit in with everyone's ideas. Like eugene I would change the residency one but under any rules Huw Jones would be eligible.
My idea has always been for people to have to make a decision when they sign their first professional contract as I think that would stop the embarassing cases of people trying to get in one team, failing and then settling for Scotland. I dont know if you have any views on that from an employment law angle Eugene?
Cheers.
I'm not sure the residency rule can fully go away but rather than 1st pro contract (which we have seen could be at 16/17 with Richie) was have 2 layers. If you move country before 16/18 then 3 years as it is. And older than 16/18 then it could be say 5 years which would be 2 world cups.
