I agree, they should just ban all non uk players.

I don't think that Meli will count on your quota / non fed malarkey. Same was as Manu doesn't for us. Pre 2008 ruling.

Hansen doesn't count at all, Wigan have trained him up from the beginning but the others count.

Hull KA would be a more obvious target!

Green, Dobson, Webster, Clinton, Vella, Newton, Galea and more!

Quote ="St pete"I'm petty sure he holds Italian passport '" What a fountain of RL knowledge you are!!! What's the wink for? Irony because his name sounds a bit Italian? Tool. He's played for Italy for all sound minded Saints fans by the way: www.angelfire.com/oz/greekrugbyl ... 0Italy.htm

Quote ="St pete"I'm petty sure he holds Italian passport '" What a fountain of RL knowledge you are!!! What's the wink for? Irony because his name sounds a bit Italian? Tool. He's played for Italy for all sound minded Saints fans by the way: www.angelfire.com/oz/greekrugbyl ... 0Italy.htm

Quote ="jonny the leyther"What a fountain of RL knowledge you are!!! What's the wink for? Irony because his name sounds a bit Italian? Tool. He's played for Italy for all sound minded Saints fans by the way: www.angelfire.com/oz/greekrugbyl ... 0Italy.htm'" Christ! I said the shopping is bad in Leigh and now your stalking me. Grow up for brains!

Quote ="jonny the leyther"What a fountain of RL knowledge you are!!! What's the wink for? Irony because his name sounds a bit Italian? Tool. He's played for Italy for all sound minded Saints fans by the way: www.angelfire.com/oz/greekrugbyl ... 0Italy.htm'" Christ! I said the shopping is bad in Leigh and now your stalking me. Grow up for brains!

Richards is Irish, Hansen has been in the UK since school and even represented England academy and Leuluai has been a UK resident since 2004.

Carmont however is a foreign Wigan player you didn't mention

Just pointing out some facts, no need to get narky.

Richards is Irish?

In an Australian sense, obviously!

He was born in Australia, but grew up in Ireland as both his parents are Irish.

yep, he sounds just like he grew up in Ireland

Then he is Australian, unless he acquired Irish citizenship and rejected his Australian citizenship. Oh, and he sounds very Australian for someone brought up in Ireland! I've heard justifications for Wigan's continuing sizeable number of foreign players, but this one is stretching it a tad, I have to say.

Knee jerk reaction? We've reportedly signed a second overseas player, and by all accounts Flannery and TP are going to leave... I know they are not like for like, but lets see what happens to the rest of the squad for 2012, in theory at the moment its 2 in, 2 out.

Don't get me wrong, I fully agree that UK players would be better (ideally our own Academy) but there is only so far you can compromise the quality of your squad if significantly better players are available, kids for kids sake won't work unless they are good enough. At the moment we haven't got anyone close to being a first team prop in our junior ranks (there are some who may step up over the next 12-24 months) but Graham wasn't just a first team prop.

Do you know him?

exactly, there just arnt the top drawer british props availiable, we need the best we can get regardless of nationality

Yes.

I don't know you're new 'Italian' Laffranchi though, but I hope he doesn't come over here and say 'g'day folks!' becasue you're accent is key to your nationality, he should come over on a vespa waving a white flag.

I just love how deluded the Australian press are calling us British Super League giants.

We are. We've been the most successful team in Super League. That makes us Super League giants!

Quote ="jonny the leyther"Yes. I don't know you're new 'Italian' Laffranchi though, but I hope he doesn't come over here and say 'g'day folks!' becasue you're accent is key to your nationality, he should come over on a vespa waving a white flag.'" www.superleaguefans.com/forum/thread-2608.html

Quote ="jonny the leyther"Yes. I don't know you're new 'Italian' Laffranchi though, but I hope he doesn't come over here and say 'g'day folks!' becasue you're accent is key to your nationality, he should come over on a vespa waving a white flag.'" www.superleaguefans.com/forum/thread-2608.html

I'm sorry, I really don't want to fall out with every Saints fan on here today, I was only on here to make positive comments about the new ground and if you signed Hilly from us!

But are you for real? Saints are massive, and are going to be even bigger next year in a great stadium with a set of young English players mixed with a few class overseas lads. Try being a Leigh fan for all your life mate and when you find yourself going 'YES! we beat Batley today' you might realise how lucky you are!

Oh, don't take Saddened! seriously. He's just having a bit of fun.



By the way, Leigh are outstanding this season. I've enjoyed watching them on Sky. I hope they get their mitts on some silverware this year!

Like I said on page 3...he's played for Italy. I've not got a problem with this, but if you accept Laffranchi as Italian, you can't slate Pat Richards for being Irish when he's actually got strong links to being Irish.

Try supporting them, I've played for them!

I know exactly how you feel!

We are as good as I can remember at the moment, the problem being that if we do win silverwear it's in our interest to 'do a Widnes' and sell all of our best players and use that money to develop off the pitch. I just hope we've got some sort of plan in place to keep our players until the franchise bid in 2015.

Just read tv thread, who slates Richards for being irish when he's a Aussie?

Jes, stop guessing and go direct to the RFL.

C1:4 OVERSEAS PLAYERS
DEFINITION OF OVERSEAS PLAYER
C1:4:1 (a) An “overseas Player” is one who cannot produce satisfactory evidence to the RFL that
he is a Professional Player in accordance with the EU Rules guaranteeing the free
movement of workers and that either:
(i) he is an EU National; or
(ii) he is entitled to be lawfully employed in England as a professional rugby league
player pursuant to a valid work permit and is a National of a country which is party
to either an Association Agreement, Europe Agreement or the Cotonou Agreement
with the EU; or
(iii) that he is a National of a country which is a current Full or Associate Member of
the RLEF and has been resident in that country for four years and is a bona fide
registered player who has played a minimum of five domestic league or cup games
in a domestic competition in that Full or Associate Member’s country.
For the avoidance of doubt a National is defined as a person who holds a current passport for an EU
member state or a country party to an Association Agreement, Europe Agreement or the Cotonou
Agreement as appropriate. Where a person claims to be a National of a country which does not issue
its own passports the RFL will review such a claim on a case by case basis but has no obligation to
decide whether a person is a National of such a country. In order to provide satisfactory evidence for
C1:4:1 (a) (iii) above the individual must hold and produce a relevant and current passport, the RLEF
member must provide records and testimony as to the player’s competition record and the RLEF must
certify that the information provided is correct and bona fide. The purpose of C1:4:1 (a) (iii) above is to
provide a performance pathway for talented players from the domestic competitions in RLEF Full or
Associate Member countries and in all matters of interpretation or judgement of this rule the RFL will
make decisions which are consistent with that purpose.
(b) Any Player who has, and who can prove to the RFL's satisfaction to have been, resident
in the EU for an aggregate of 270 days in each of five years prior to 31st December
2002 shall not be deemed an "overseas Player". For the avoidance of doubt, any
exceptions previously granted under this Operational Rule shall remain in force for the
remainder of the Player's career.