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The Australian Rugby Union today announced changes to its Player Contracting Policy by allowing an elite group of overseas-based players to be eligible for Qantas Wallabies selection.
Effective immediately, overseas-based players will now be eligible for Qantas Wallabies selection if they have played more than 60 Tests for Australia and have held a professional contract with Australian Rugby for at least seven years.
The adjustment to the policy was approved by the ARU Board and endorsed by Super Rugby CEO’s on Monday 20 April 2015.
Australian Rugby Union CEO Bill Pulver said the policy amendment was an important strategic decision made in the best interests of the code.
“This is a pivotal moment for Rugby in Australia, where for the first time in its professional history, the ARU will allow overseas-based players who have made a significant contribution to Australian Rugby to become eligible for the Qantas Wallabies,” Mr Pulver said.
“It’s a decision that recognises the changing dynamics of a global Rugby market for professional players. Combined with our other recruitment and retention strategies, we feel this decision allows the ARU to assert more influence over player movement and contracting in Australia and abroad.”
Mr Pulver said the policy would provide short and long-term benefits to Australian Rugby and its players.
“Those players who satisfy the 60-game and seven-year threshold have already invested heavily and contributed considerably to Australian Rugby over a long period of time,” he said.
“The policy also encourages those players who have not yet reached that point to commit exclusively to Australian Rugby in the prime of their career. In this way, we believe the policy supports Super Rugby by encouraging our top players to remain in Australia for longer.
“It also means we can invest more money into our younger players in the long-term, while ensuring our most experienced players leaving for overseas can still contribute to the overall success of the code in Australia – on and off the field.”
Under the revised Policy, players returning to Australia from overseas who make a two-year commitment to an Australian Super Rugby Club will also be eligible to represent the Qantas Wallabies immediately upon their return.
Bill Pulver added, “We believe having the option to select overseas-based players to represent the Qantas Wallabies, provided that they have made a commitment to return to Australian Rugby, will encourage the repatriation of Australians currently playing in foreign competitions and increase the pool of talent available to Australian Super Rugby teams and the Qantas Wallabies.”
Qantas Wallabies coach Michael Cheika said greater competition for positions would inevitably lead to a stronger national team.
“It’s important to first and foremost recognise those players who are currently making a daily contribution to Rugby in Australia, but at the same time not discount those elite-level and experienced Test players who have already invested so much into the code over a long period,” Cheika said.
“From speaking with many of them, I know they still have a huge desire to represent Australia, and would do so to the very best of their abilities if ever called upon once again.
“In the end, we want the best players being rewarded for playing the majority of their career in Australia, and this is an important step to the future growth and success of the Wallabies.”
From http://www.rugby.com.au/News/NewsArt...Wallabies.aspx
Ok, so who meets the criteria?
Adam Ashley-Cooper
Stephen Moore
Ben Alexander
Benn Robinson
James Slipper
James Horwill
Will Genia
Matt Giteau
Drew Mitchell
...
No one who hadn't yet played for the wallabies before 2008 ...
Dear Lord, if you give us back Johnny Cash, we'll give you Justin Bieber.
So outside of the inevitable Captain of Moore .... has-beens !
Intelligent decision Bill
Now give Big Dog his Special Contract so we can sign him and move on!
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
“Everyone knows whether it’s rugby, politics or whatever, front-rowers should rule the world, so to have a hooker at the helm makes sense,” Nathan Charles Western Force & Wallabies Hooker.
ARU eases Wallabies eligibility rules
By Darren Walton
April 22, 2015, 1:50 pm
Matt Giteau, Drew Mitchell and George Smith can return to play for the Wallabies at the World Cup after the Australian Rugby Union produced a backflip on its eligibility rules.
ARU chief executive Bill Pulver has announced a change to allow a few, much-capped players based offshore to be selected for Australia.
All overseas-based players were previously ineligible for the Wallabies.
But those who have earned 60 Test caps and have held a contract with Australian Rugby for at least seven years can now be selected.
Toulon-based Giteau, the reigning European player of the year, and his Heineken Cup-winning teammate Mitchell and champion flanker Smith, currently also in France, are the biggest winners from the shift in policy.
Looking beyond the World Cup, a swag of other stars heading overseas, including Adam Ashley-Cooper, Will Genia and 2011 World Cup captain James Horwill if he plays two Tests this year, will be available for selection.
Despite calling France home for the past four years, Giteau retains a burning desire to play in the World Cup after being bitterly disappointed to have been controversially overlooked by former coach Robbie Deans for the 2011 global showpiece.
Only on Monday, the 32-year-old, 92-Test playmaker told The Times in London the ARU needed to change the rules and he'd cherish a return to the Wallabies.
"I miss the big games, the big atmospheres, but the rules are there for a reason," Giteau said.
"They need changing, but if it was something the coaches were interested in, then I'd love to play for my country again."
The policy change was approved by the ARU board and endorsed by the Australian Super Rugby franchise CEOs this week.
"Its a decision that recognises the changing dynamics of a global Rugby market for professional players," said Pulver.
"Combined with our other recruitment and retention strategies, we feel this decision allows the ARU to assert more influence over player movement and contracting in Australia and abroad.
"Those players who satisfy the 60-game and seven-year threshold have already invested heavily and contributed considerably to Australian Rugby over a long period of time.
"The policy also encourages those players who have not yet reached that point to commit exclusively to Australian Rugby in the prime of their career.
"In this way, we believe the policy supports Super Rugby by encouraging our top players to remain in Australia for longer.
"It also means we can invest more money into our younger players in the long-term, while ensuring our most experienced players leaving for overseas can still contribute to the overall success of the code in Australia on and off the field."
Under the revised ARU policy, players returning to Australia from overseas who make a two-year commitment to an Australian Super Rugby Club will also be eligible to represent the Wallabies immediately upon their return.
Pulver said the ARU believed having the option to select overseas-based players to represent the Wallabies would encourage the repatriation of Australians currently playing in foreign competitions.
https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sp...ibility-rules/
80 Minutes, 15 Positions, No Protection, Wanna Ruck?
Ruck Me, Maul Me, Make Me Scrum!
Education is Important, but Rugby is Importanter!
Matt Giteau is far from a has been.... and would be a great asset to the Wallabies if he is picked for the World Cup
Gits should be the only one. We have better wingers than Mitchell now and enough depth at 7 with Pocock, hooper, gill and Hodgo. Unless smith played as #8
How would a 10-Toomua 12-Gits combo go?
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David