Foreign player in national team -- pros and cons

A significant decision that was taken by the SLRFU was to accept the policy to allow a foreign player, who qualifies in terms of IRB criteria of eligibility, to play for the National Team. Last year the council discussed and convinced the Ministry of the need to accept this condition if rugby is to move forward. Following this we would see one player of Fijian origin who will don the CH jersey in this year’s tournament. This now opens the doors for rethinking of curtailing foreigners playing for clubs in the local tournament. It will follow that there will be a window open to consider such inclusion; if not this year may be next year. For you to be eligible to play for the country and use the thirty six month period of residency you got to be at the game somewhere. That will be in the clubs. If at the end of thirty six months you are eligible to play as a national probably this will give the chance for the clubs to have one more in their team. Thus the incentive for clubs will be to keep players longer. But the question will be whether clubs will release the players for national duty. The carrot then would be if your player is selected for the national team then he becomes qualified as a national and therefore you can have another player. These will have to be discussed and process of action put in place for the future.

It is no secret that most participating nations in the Asian Nations Rugby series field foreigners in their teams using the eligibility criteria in terms of the IRB regulations. These include Japan, Hong Kong, Arabian Gulf as well as Singapore and Malaysia. With countries in the Asian Region allowing players who qualify under the IRB eligibility criteria to play for their country it is becoming more and more difficult for Sri Lanka to stay where they are if not to be on top in the Asia circuit. . Japan a country that is way ahead in the Asian rugby circuit too employs foreigners to play for them. Until the 1980s, high school and university rugby was the most popular form of the game, in Japan. Thereafter the rapidly-developing company rugby became the predominant domestic form of the game. With the development of the game in this direction the influence of foreign players in company teams was seen. The influence spread to the national team who play foreign born players. The eligibility does not demand citizenship but three years residence. Moving the ball is no longer limited to concentration in your camp only. It has now become evident in the game, not only of rugby but all sports. To stay on top we need to harness the wealth of talent that may be on offer to the nations who are able to attract them.

This has become so lucrative that it is reported that the all Blacks are losing some of their players to English clubs as well as some being attracted by Japan among others. It is no longer the retirees who are moving away. It is those who are in the prime of their career.

Following the recent setback in the super 14 the Australian Rugby Union is reported to be considering the change of rules to enable foreigners to play in the super 14.

New Zealand is facing a problem of player retention with some of their best taking wing to play club rugby in other countries. As mentioned earlier. Even in a country where the All Black jersey was pride, the difficulty of retention in the face of more money has become a problem. In this context can we stop players in changing clubs? It has been a fact that some clubs have become the breeding place for rugby player development and losing them after the hatching is complete. This is reality one has to face. It definitely will be to the detriment of the clubs that are financially not the strongest. What has to be done is to have in place a player contract registration, transfer and compensation scheme. To have a system that will compensate for the cost incurred in the training and development is a need. One has to push and support the governing body to have in place the system of player contract and movement. Incorporated into the system should be scheme for compensation for cost incurred in player development. There are established systems and norms in this aspect and is available with the IRB regulations. While looking at what is available the Union will have to adapt a system that will be suitable for Sri Lanka. If not we will continue to make loud noise that will be good to listen and interesting to read.