You cannot blame Rangi for wanting to play international rugby for any team that can make his dream come true. I like many others do not agree with none Englishman playing for England, i believe you should only play for the country of your birth. However as it happens in every other sport why should we be the odd ones out especially when other rugby league nations are doing the same thing, do the same as me and learn to live with it.

Immigrants can never become English, or Australian, or Kiwi, or French or whatever? What's wrong with representing the country where you live? Home is where the heart is, as they say - that might be the country you live in, it might be the country you were born in but don't live in, it might even be the country your parents were born in. That's just a fact of life - and wishing it wasn't won't make it go away.

His dream, clearly stated in a press interview a few months ago, was to play for New Zealand; what's changed?

I think this depends on the duration - If you look at people selecting Wales/Sctoland/Ireland then swapping back, that is rediculous, moreso than one guy of Kiwi birth choosing to play for this adopted country.

So, if he meets the criteria, gets selected and remains in the frame and committed for the remainder of his career and commits 8-10 years of representing England, I have no problems. If this is a cynical short lived stunt, then I do have a problem with it.

Personally, I have no more problem with this than Danny Brough (example only) being a jock, then English, then jock and now English again.

Quote ="BostonSpaTiger"SO Garry Schofield is upset that Rangi wants to play for England. www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sp ... e-row.html Schofield's ego is that big he probably still thinks that he was in with a chance of making the squad and Rangi has taken his place! I know most fans would happily pay good money to watch Rangi play in an England shirt.'" Schofield is more of an embarrassment to RL in this country than Rangi Chase playing for England will ever be.

Quote ="BostonSpaTiger"SO Garry Schofield is upset that Rangi wants to play for England. www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sp ... e-row.html Schofield's ego is that big he probably still thinks that he was in with a chance of making the squad and Rangi has taken his place! I know most fans would happily pay good money to watch Rangi play in an England shirt.'" Schofield is more of an embarrassment to RL in this country than Rangi Chase playing for England will ever be.

It's outragous that Rangi Chase is even allowed to consider playing for England. I don't blame Rangi Chase, I blame the people who set the rules that have turned international rugby into a farce. But it also tells you a lot about Chase's loyalty. He's nothing but a mercenary. If he's happy to turn his back on his country, I can't see he thinking twice about turning his back on Castleford.

As he classes over here as home does anyone know if he has bought his house or is it a Cas RLFC house?

Contracted till 2015. Just signed.

More to the point, has anyone is Castleford bought their house?

Wasn't Westerman under contract?

Yes, and we got oodles of cash for him, so we didn't have to release him when his contract ran out (as happened with Shenton). Simples.

Pssst! Wanna buy an award winning stand-off with four years left to run on his contract? I'm sure we could come to some arrangement. Know what I mean? Wink! Wink!

More to the point, what the hell does this mean?

I'm sure it has been explained to you several times but you still keep bringing it up?



And Georgie: sounds like one of those older blokes when sloshed.

Westerman was under contract but wanted to leave so he went. What is to stop Chase doing the same? The contract doesn't mean anything.

It wasn't me, it was my brain.

Go read Rangi's quotes/comments after MoS, after signing his contract.

As much as you'd like to think otherwise, Rangi loves it at Cas. End of.

Mistakes corrected.

I don't remember all this fuss when Fasavalo played for England.

There was, the difference being that Chase is actually good enough for an England shirt.

There was from me.

Nor a lot of criticism for Tony Smith.

But because it's McNamara, he's 'incompetent', 'useless', etc etc.

McNamara is incompetent, useless, etc! He has done nothing as a manager at any level, he couldn't run a bath. He is not a man that installs passion amongst fans.

I have no gripes with Rangi playing for England though, look at other sports and England have had people from other countries playing for them for years. I would rather pay to watch Rangi at half back than the likes of Rob Burrow

McNamara may not be a good coach, but given that his job might possibly require him to make England as competitive as possible, he's doing more than I would have expected. He's added 3 players in Widdopp, Reed and Heighington who add hugely to our depth (Reed was selected in the NRL team of the year in one mag here), and now a class player in Chase.

The message to the poor 'English' kids not getting picked is simple - get better. Thank goodness we have a coach willing to tell them that - albeit by not selecting them. I have no time at all for suggesting we pick a 'pure' side that gets mullered - seen it before thanks. I suspect the Exiles game was enough to convince McNamara that our next generation is simply not good enough yet.

What England need is more of a win at all costs mentality. I've seen enough heroic failures (and even more dreadful efforts) to last me a lifetime. I want to see us regularly compete. Most of all I want to see England something in my lifetime.

I think that the real issue is that although Rangi is not English he qualifies to play for England. Some contradiction here surely?

Chile

Hallelujah. Someone who agrees with me. Depth = competition = striving to win a place = better players.