Looking at the Bird situation, I think it is wrong that a player should be able to play for a team in our competition when he was not granted a working visa for the UK. I am sure that the RFL will close this loophole somehow, but are we again going to be the last victim of a poor ruling before it is changed?

We should make sure that we do all we can to stop him gaining access to the UK , and lobby the RFL to ensure that all member clubs are working under the same rules, or we should exclude the non uk clubs.

what do you think?

i dont see the RFL being able to change the laws of Europe , the only way to do it is to exculde all no uk Clubs , which with the success the catalans would seem a bit much to stop somthing that isnt really gonna happen all that often

If he can get a visa to work in France, let him sign for the french. Us kicking off over it won't change anything. Besides, I believe this would could as restriction of trade so that's a none starter isn't it?

So he's been denied a visa to ply his trade in the UK.

Does that mean he'll be out every other week?

Could be! I expect that will go down really well with those players he's competing with for a place in the team. He gets in for all the home games while they get the tougher away ones.

Rugby league. The laughing stock of world sport. Enough said.

If Bird does sign for Catalans and is cleared to play games in this country I am done with Rugby League, that would be an absolute farce. I have followed Northern/Bulls since 1975, but if the club do not object strongly to this move I would go back to watching City

He has been refused a UK visa, period, so how on earth can he be allowed to come over here and 'work' every other week? French employers or not, no visa, no work surely!

If the RFL do allow this Catalans will be in Eutopia, sit back, let the English clubs sound out players and arrange contracts, then simply step in if a visa is refused and snap them up. Joke.

Rant Over

Bird HAS signed for catalans - announced this morning. expected to be on bench against cas at weekend. The ironic thing is assuming the worst case that he isnt allowed entry to play in uk and only plays home games and gets sent down after court case then seeing as we play catalans away in a fortnight we could be one of the only teams to come up against a match fit greg bird





with wigan and salford being the only other two teams going to catalans after us and before his court case.

It's not the club's or the RFL's fault that Bird is at the Catalans and may end up playing us. If you want to complain then write to your MP.

who's complaining? just seems a bit ironic or as im sure fans of other clubs would say - its karma

See below:

I'n not a lawyer but I cant see them stopping Bird from coming into this country to play games if he has clearance to play in the EU, he simply couldn't get resisdence here or be employed by a british company. It will be very difficult for them to deny an innocent man entry (which is why I cant understand the original descion tbh)

It isn't difficult at all, in fact that's exactly [iwhat has already happened[/i to one Bird, G., Esq.

He does not "have clearance to play in the EU". There is no EU body (yet) competent to give such clearance.

France can admit him if it likes, but France does not (yet) issue visas for admission to Britain, and he won't get in, as his visa application has been refused. He did not appeal against the refusal so end of story. It's as simple as that.

So if he'd never bothered applying for the UK he'd have been better off?

My knowledge on this is mainly gleaned from TV, but it seems that they stop people on hunches, ask them a few questions then let them go on if their story sounds reasonably plausible. Hence that Mexican chap getting the boot because he had a 'Good luck in your new life in the UK' greeting card with him when he was reckoning on he was only holidaying.

I'm still scratching my head as to how refusing Bird either helps the UK economy (he's a skilled worker who the Bulls have little to no chance of finding an immediate replacement for) or the war on terror (or is that over now?)

Could the Bulls have not jointly registered themselves as a company in France and had Bird (and Crocker and Carney) employed from there.

I can't see that the RFL could have a rule against multi-national companies owning teams.

There is no way that the immigration authorities will refuse him entry - even if they recognise him and once he's here the fact that he's working for a French company means he won't be touched.

No, he'd still need a visa to enter from France, bein' a forriner 'n all.


But while he hasn't actually been convicted of anything yet, the Border Agency are perfectly entitled to take any relevant information into due account, and it seems obvious that he wll end up doing time - otherwise why is he called "Bird"?

Eh? EH??Answer me that!

If anything, going by the TV shows that rationale is slightly too sophisticated for them...

He got a visa to enter an EU country, therefore as a visa holder he is entitled to "work" in other EU countries temporarily for his employer.

Sorry to say it is a back door route but legitimate all the same. I don't want these double standards but maybe it is a bit of Karma.

No he isn't. A visa is per country. A visa for France doesn't permit you to enter the UK any more than a visa to enter say Poland does.

You are confused with the exemption that IF HE WERE GRANTED A VISA, he could do paid work here for 80 minutes a fortnight for his French employer.

So why didn't the bulls work out a deal with say a french RL team like toulouse. they "sign" him, we loan him. play the system

Didn't redeverready post a link that showed the terms of a french visa etc. That would be really helpful again

But seen as he "works" and is based in France wouldn't he only need his passport to enter the UK on a temporary basis? If your argument is true then surely all Catalans players MUST have both French and UK Visa's?

No. the aardvark is right. All people from outside the EU need leave to enter the UK. Catalans Aussies must satisfy an immigration officer on arrival in the UK that they qualify for entry to do what they want to do, even for a temporary stay. They don't need UK visas, just permission to enter the UK.

In my opinion, The RFL should insist that all teams agree that if a player is refused entry in to any state which has an SL team, they are refused permission to play in the comp. this could easily be written into the competition rules and would make the comp fair. It requires no action by MPs or UK border authority. If catalans dont agree to it, chuck them out!

this would not help us now, but would ensure fairness in the future!

Do they need my permission?
I'm not letting Bird in in that case. Unless they are playing anyone else apart from us.