League: Fien back in line to play for Kiwis
11:50AM Monday September 17, 2007
Hooker Nathan Fien, the centre of the "grannygate" row a year ago, was today added to the Kiwis rugby league train-on squad.
The former Queensland State of Origin hooker was ruled ineligible to play for New Zealand during last year's Tri-Nations series after already having appeared in two tests for the Kiwis.
The ruling came after it was revealed that his great-grandmother, and not his grandmother as required, was New Zealand-born.
However, Fien, 28, will be eligible to turn out for the Kiwis' next test, against Australia in Wellington on October 14, under another criterion - he has lived in Auckland for the past three years.
New Kiwis coach Gary Kemble said he had spoken to Fien and the New Zealand Warrior was keen to don the Kiwis jumper again.
Kemble did not expect any negative reaction to the Mount Isa-born Fien's inclusion in the squad.
"At the end of the day, the rules and regulations are set in place by the International Rugby League Federation and we abide by those rules," he said.
"We will select any players available under those rules if they are the best available."
For a coach who has previously played in the Kiwi jersey with pride and undoubtedly will emphasize the importance of maintaining this emphasis, he's just eroded any respect that our former greats would have had, by allowing some Australian born player who for 20 odd years has professed his allegiance as an Australian to suddenly become a Kiwi after a three year temporary residency.
Do Fein's kids tell all their classmates that they are now Kiwis even though they once thought that they were Australian?
When Fein travelled to Townsville last week, did he put on the customs visitors card under Nationality - New Zealander?
Does Brent Webb now tell everyone who he meets in the UK that he is a Kiwi?
This is desperation in order to allow some countries to manipulate the rules to win a game of rugby league. FFS it's a game of league! I'd allow some concessions if Fein wanted to join our Army.
Would Nigel Vagana play for the Fijians if he lived there for 3 years?
Would Ruben Wiki play for the Aboriginal or Australian team even though he lived in Australia for more years than he has played league here?
Craig Stanaway and Steve Kilgallon, these are the questions you should be asking Gary Kemble while he proudly displays all those Kiwi jerseys in his lounge or Fein as he greets you with a nasally sounding twang.
Anyone who thinks contrary to my view should place themselves in Fein's position and discredit everything that he believed in, experienced and once proudly sang his national anthem as an Australian.
:x
