Foreign ESL Players

[mikkolos]

Hi i was wondering if anyone here could tell me of any players currently in the ESL who weren't born in Australia, England or New Zealand.
Thanks in advance

 

[Evil Homer]

Stanley Gene(Huddersfield),Marcus Bai(Leeds) and John Wilshere(Leigh/Salford)0 were born in PNG.Tim Jonkers(Salford) was born in the Netherlands.Bolu Fagborun(Huddersfield) was born in Nigeria.

I'm sure a few kolpak stiffs from lower placed sides were born in the south sea islands,and there are a few from Scotland,Ireland and Wales,but the above players are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head that are from countries excluding these.

 

[Manu Vatuvei]

Francis Meli is coming over next season and I believe he was born in Samoa.

 

[Dakink]

What are "kolpak stiffs"?

 

[coldhardbitch]

Also Olivier elima and Jerome Guissett from France

 

[League Freak™]

What are "kolpak stiffs"?

They are the star signings at SL clubs.

 

[Evil Homer]

What are "kolpak stiffs"?

Players from the South Sea islands who get around the quota because of certain loopholes.

 

[screeny]

Obvious one here, Carney is Irish. That's all I can think of other than some of those already named. A rubbish effort by me.....

 

[ali]

Hefin O'Hare in Welsh, but heading to Union as of pretty much now.

 

[The Observer]

There are a number of players born in countries outside Aus, Eng and NZ; not so many of those players actually grew up or played junior RL outside those countries.

As pointed out, Lions VC Brian Carney was born in Wicklow, south of Cork in the Republic of Ireland. O'Hare was born in Wrexham, Nth Wales, played junior RU there. Gene and Bai are born and bred PNGuineans, Wilshere was born there but played his junior RL in Yepoon, QLD.

Bulls winger Lesley Vainikolo was born in Tonga but acc to Bulls website, his parents were from NZ.

The following players were all born in (Western) Samoa, probably in capital Apia, and raised in Auckland, NZ, except Talau (in Taranaki).
* Bulls Prop Joe Vagana
* Hull fullback Motu Tony (also part Niuean)
* Future Saints wing recruit Meli (also Tokelauan)
* Warrington winger Henry Faafili and prop Danny Lima
* Saints centre/second row Willie Talau
* Widnes winger Misili Manu

* London Broncos prop Joe Mbu was born in Zaire
* Saints forward Maurie Fa’asavalu was born, raised in Samoa & played junior RU there.

* Wakefield winger Semi Tadulala was born in Fiji
* Wakefield centre Sylvain Houles, prop Olivier Elima and Wigan forward Jerome Guisset are French

There are more players in National Leagues 1, 2 and beyond born outside (e.g. Welsh, French, Pacific Islanders and African).