Dave Rennie will be able to pick two overseas-based players with fewer than 60 Test caps for his Wallabies teams this year after Rugby Australia announced a short-term change to the Giteau Law.
Under the eligibility criteria introduced before the 2015 Rugby World Cup, players with seven years of service to Australian rugby and 60 international caps were able to be selected for Australia regardless of which country they played their provincial rugby in, but those who didn’t meet the criteria were lost to the national team while playing overseas.
The change, however, will allow a pair of players plying their trade outside Australia to be picked for the Wallabies regardless of whether they meet the criteria, but only during the World Rugby-sanctioned international window and only for the 2020 season – although interim Rugby AU CEO Rob Clarke left the door open to a more permanent change in the future.
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“We are being quite clear that this addition is for this year only but that we will continue to review the entire policy from time to time, as required,” Clarke said.
“This is a prudent and measured step in response to the unprecedented impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on Australian rugby and the broader rugby community.
“Dave (Rennie) will soon assemble his squad and they’re likely to remain in a ‘bubble’ for ten weeks with no opportunity to call in replacements for injury due to the quarantined environment. It will be a real test for those players selected, and the Wallabies management team, but I know they are incredibly excited about the opportunity.”
With the two-player limit, Rennie will be unable to bring back all of the Test-quality Australians previously unavailable for selection, however it will allow him to bolster current areas of weakness.
The position most likely to be filled by overseas players is the second row, where Australia has seen an exodus of their best players recently. Rory Arnold and Will Skelton are both sure to come under selection consideration, while Samu Kerevi, Sean McMahon and Adam Coleman are some of the others who may add to their Wallabies caps as a result of the change.
“First and foremost, it is crucial that we recognise those players who are currently making a daily contribution to rugby in Australia, and that will be reflected in the squad we name for this year’s Test season,” Rennie said.
“We now have the chance to select one or two players based overseas who don’t meet the current criteria and they’ll not only add some experience to our group but be able to guide our young players to help their development.
“We are also looking long term though. We want to bring players back to play Super Rugby here in Australia, especially those who are passionate about playing for the Wallabies, get them excited about being in the environment again and this is a great way to encourage that.”
elysiusrugby
Roar Rookie
Yeah he's a bit older than I thought. We need someone other than just Hooper to lead pack though, maybe a McMahon or even George Smith :laughing:
TheTruth08
Roar Rookie
Fardy is in retirement mode, there is no way Rennie will pick him over the loosie he has in front of him right now..
TheTruth08
Roar Rookie
the loosies are well covered in Aus rugby.. wilson, mcreight and samu wright, hooper and Naisarani Those 2 combinations right there is hard to compete against.
TheTruth08
Roar Rookie
even if wallabies wanted these players (skelton&Arnold or Kerevi&Arnold) the clubs they are signed to have got to release them. Insurances is a major key in releasing these players to the fold. If clubs do agree and release players, would be hard to go past Kerevi and Arnold..
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Yeah I think even the one off RWC can only work if you have your squad that has been built prior.
jcmasher
Roar Rookie
Bang on TWAS. I think it’ll be hard to sustain outside of a RWC and I also think as time goes on it’ll be harder to manage even in a RWC year
Paul D
Roar Rookie
I have a standing agreement with the missus that we can take an OS trip for every RWC. I get in a few games, the family sees the world. Japan unfortunately couldn’t happen with her cancer treatment. But the next destination I am most looking forward to hosting it again is South Africa.
Wait, don’t tell me... He rates Hooper as a third rate player :silly:
Paul D
Roar Rookie
I hear he doesn’t like Hooper either...
Though I guess we should be commended as a third world country for being RWC champs....three times :silly:
No worries Jez, unfortunately you get people like him in every society.
jeznez
Roar Guru
Corne, I've no idea where Dave is from except I assume not SA. I suspect I'm speaking for the majority of us that are not from SA when I say, our apologies for comments like his.
Gepetto
Roar Rookie
We have 100 test veteran and Tah captain, Simmo! He can play 80 minutes of Test football.
haha so true....NNNNOOOOOOO to Cheika thanks...lol...The Roosters can have him...Maybe SBW can teach him some arts of coaching Union while he is there.!
Paul D
Roar Rookie
"not sure if it is white flight but something like 25000 Australians are leaving Sydney every year." No it's not "white flight". Brown people might scare you, but not most. Most internal migration is by migrants. Many migrants land in Sydney then move on. Most is to either Brisbane or Sydney. Most of all internal migrants are also young adults. Which is why I think housing affordability plays a big role. It is not established Australian families scared of foreigners heading to Bowral. Historically, internal migration is declining. https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/2071.0~2016~Main%20Features~Population%20Shift:%20Understanding%20Internal%20Migration%20in%20Australia~69
Bobby
Roar Rookie
So, do you think Taniela will not be marked heavily. I don't think so.
MitchO
Guest
Surely there's no way LSL would be fast enough at 6 to handle the ABs and in any event he's been playing lock so more out of the zone than ever. We need speed and guile across the paddock to take on the ABs. We'll never overpower them across the board. JOC or White dishing a nice pass to Tupou at pace will work though.
MitchO
Guest
It strikes me that if you want to drink and fornicate France is a pretty good place to do it.
a country like that? Have you ever been to SA?
MitchO
Guest
Harsh Jacko. Michael Cheika got coach of the year over Steve Hansen. Since Hansen has moved on how bout the All Blacks take Cheika on for a few seasons. See how they go.