Pangai Junior chooses Tonga

[Pommy]

Technically if they haven't played for the Kangaroos, they could probably ''commit'' to Australia to get the Origin jersey and flip at the end of the season to Tonga.

I’m sure this is how it could work Australia have no way to enforce it otherwise, well other than black listing you for further origin/kangaroo call ups.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

I’m sure this is how it could work Australia have no way to enforce it otherwise, well other than black listing you for further origin/kangaroo call ups.

Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking. It is a little sneaky of the player but it is possible. I don't think the ARLC could do much about it under the current RLIF rules other than, like you said ban them from being selected for Origin in the future.

 

[hutch]

Except they do.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_rugby_union_players_who_have_represented_more_than_one_nation

Does it still happen though? I know it has in the past but I was under the impression they couldn’t anymore.

 

[hutch]

Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking. It is a little sneaky of the player but it is possible. I don't think the ARLC could do much about it under the current RLIF rules other than, like you said ban them from being selected for Origin in the future.

Australia have no way of enforcing this rule. If NSW wanted to pick Fifita for game 1 and 3’they could certainly do it. Milford played for qld and Samoa last year. They could quite easily play origin and then for Tonga at the end of every year. I’m sure it will happen at some stage soon.

 

[Walter sobchak]

Can anybody give a rough guess at what the strongest Tonga 17 would be??

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Can anybody give a rough guess at what the strongest Tonga 17 would be??

Wouldn't it be the squad that was selected to face the Kangaroos last year minus Ofahengaue?

 

[Matua]

Does it still happen though? I know it has in the past but I was under the impression they couldn’t anymore.

Nope, it's been banned for at least 20 years now, although there was a sort of amnesty with 7s inclusion in the Olympics. Players could move from a top nation down if they played qualifying tournaments for the Olympic 7s. A few players did it but not many.

Can't say I'm happy about PIs playing Origin when Kiwis who theoretically could can't - I reckon Ponga would have played for Kiwis and Queensland if he could have.

 

[Walter sobchak]

Nope, it's been banned for at least 20 years now, although there was a sort of amnesty with 7s inclusion in the Olympics. Players could move from a top nation down if they played qualifying tournaments for the Olympic 7s. A few players did it but not many.

Can't say I'm happy about PIs playing Origin when Kiwis who theoretically could can't - I reckon Ponga would have played for Kiwis and Queensland if he could have.

Totally agree about ponga. How many other kiwis have chosen Queensland and NSW over a NZ test jersey?

 

[deluded pom?]

Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking. It is a little sneaky of the player but it is possible. I don't think the ARLC could do much about it under the current RLIF rules other than, like you said ban them from being selected for Origin in the future.

I don’t think the player would be banned as such but just not selected for some spurious reason.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Totally agree about ponga. How many other kiwis have chosen Queensland and NSW over a NZ test jersey?

James Tamaou and Willie Mason are the obvious ones that I can think of

 

[Manurewa_Marlins]

Teo and Hunt are another couple.

 

[hutch]

James Tamaou and Willie Mason are the obvious ones that I can think of

Mason was born in nz to an Aussie father and Tongan mother. He moved to Aus very young and has said numerous times he feels no connection to NZ and is Australian/Tongan.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Mason was born in nz to an Aussie father and Tongan mother. He moved to Aus very young and has said numerous times he feels no connection to NZ and is Australian/Tongan.

I agree with all of that but he still had a choice and chose NSW / Australia over NZ

 

[Walter sobchak]

James Tamaou and Willie Mason are the obvious ones that I can think of

Karmichael hunt and Brad thorn.

 

[Springs09]

Karmichael hunt and Brad thorn.

Josh Papalii

 

[hutch]

I agree with all of that but he still had a choice and chose NSW / Australia over NZ

Because he’s Australian.

 

[Clarkent]

None of the Samoans in the Kiwis seem to be hinting at this - you'd need someone like Taupau to defect to get the ball rolling but he seems pretty committed to the Kiwis.

Man you should be a fortune teller

 

[Matua]

Man you should be a fortune teller

I actually got that one 100% wrong.