Villa

[southern warrior]

I think that he was only picked for the aussie team so he can't be picked for the Kiwis in the future

 

[JJ]

Rubbish. I wouldn't want him in the Kiwi side anyway. He and Mason were picked because the selectors/coach are idiots

 

[JoeD]

Somebody beat me to it. Villasanti's 10 minute international career is over. It is hard to see him ever getting picked again for the Roos. Had he chosen to play for the kiwis his test caps may well have reached double figures.

 

[Jeffles]

I think that he was only picked for the aussie team so he can't be picked for the Kiwis in the future

I think it was the other way around. He grew up in Canberra and considered himself an Aussie. I think he got picked in the Junior Kiwis (incorrectly) to avoid Kangaroo selection and it backfired.

Form aside, if he was to play for an international team, the Kangaroos are it.

 

[expansionist]

I know it isnt true (conspiracy theory...) but it makes sense in a lot of cases:
Civinoceva
Villasanti
Hopoate
Tahu
Dymock

Guys who were eligibe for other countries, then chose the kangaroos, and (for me at least) made baffling choices. Any others you can think of?

 

[LeagueNut]

I don't think the choices were so baffling. Guys like Dymock & Hopoate were in the winning World Cup side of 1995, which is much better than they would have done playing for their birth countries.

And if Civioniceva was to put his hand up now and say "I'm only playing for Fiji" he might get one or two games a year against lowly island nations - or he could be playing regular SOO & Tri-Series games at rep level.

But on Villasanti, he's made his bed and now he has to lie in it. I'll be interested to see if he is anywhere near the NSW Origin team for 2004 or if he falls "out of sight, out of mind".

 

[JJ]

I know it isnt true (conspiracy theory...) but it makes sense in a lot of cases:
Civinoceva
Villasanti
Hopoate
Tahu
Dymock

Guys who were eligibe for other countries, then chose the kangaroos, and (for me at least) made baffling choices. Any others you can think of?

Why baffling? I thought all of the guys were born and bred in Australia - or at least brought up there. They are Australian. We (NZ) seem keen on poaching people like Tahu and Villa, who essentially are Australian. Why on earth would the likes of Civinoceva, Hopoate, and Dymock play for Fiji or Tonga?? What purpose would that serve for them? They are Australian and represented their country with pride...

 

[JJ]

I don't think the choices were so baffling. Guys like Dymock & Hopoate were in the winning World Cup side of 1995, which is much better than they would have done playing for their birth countries.

And if Civioniceva was to put his hand up now and say "I'm only playing for Fiji" he might get one or two games a year against lowly island nations - or he could be playing regular SOO & Tri-Series games at rep level.

But on Villasanti, he's made his bed and now he has to lie in it. I'll be interested to see if he is anywhere near the NSW Origin team for 2004 or if he falls "out of sight, out of mind".

you're talking sense - I'm sure he'll be out of sight out of mind, largely because he's not up to that standard. I know he played for the Junior Kiwis, but he's not really a NZer. We'd be much better off looking at some of our front-rowers playing in the UK (but that would require cooperation of British clubs, which is unlikely)

 

[Auckland4ever]

Most Australian born/based players eligible to play for Aus & NZ will probably favour playing for the Kangaroos, not so much because of the chance to represent Australia, but for the chance to represent Qld or NSW.
The SOO seems to be the RL pinnacle for the Aussie players, not internationals. Villa admitted as much. Wonder if things will ever change.