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You mean like he did while playing for the Exiles when he said he wanted to represent New Zealand. I have nothing against Chase what so ever, he is immensely talented. My MOS. But i don't agree the desperation in picking New Zealanders and Aussies for England. It's taken him until hes 25 to decide he's English??

And my sources include Stefan Ratchford, Chev Walker, Matt Diskin, John Bateman, Paul Wood, Kevin Brown etc etc. How demoralising must it be for young players like Bateman, Lomax etc.

Why not just choose all the overseas players in SL, would give our game great coverage with all the TV interviews with their English accents. Your country is not your club. You can't pick & choose what nationality you are when it suits you.

What is wrong with you flatearthers ?
I think its brilliant that Rangi is the first International dual registered player.
Lets use him whilst we have got him and at least NZ are happy as he's guarenteed to get some gametime as there are better players in front of him at the NZ club so he would never have got a look in.

Who gives a monkeys about young British players anyhow, its not as if they are the future of out sport - this sends out a great example to all those kids in New Zealand, Tonga, PNG and Australia that if your not good enough for your home country we can send you on a dual contract to England to get game time and the fans there don't mind watching a variety of nationalies play for the England club as long as they win.

You flatearthers will hold the game back internationaly for years - you need to move with the times and realise International RL is just like club RL these days , any Kiwi , Aussie or any geezer from Earls Court who can say g'day convincingly is a shoe in for a playing or a coaching role at your club.

I think its brilliant that a person who grew up in Dannervirke New Zealand dreaming he would one day play for England at RL has been able to fulfil that dream.

Then you should sue your typing fingers for defamation



It creates competition for positions. It tells players - both established and up-and-coming -
that if they want to wear an England shirt, they have to do more than just be slightly better than mediocre, they have to be the best in their position against serious competition. This is good for the team, and it's good for players aspiring to play in the team.

In that case, Rangi has just looked at the NZ side and decided "Nah, i'm never gonna get in that. I'll go for the easy option where I'll be welcomed with open arms."

That isn't how international selection and having the honour of playing for your country should work.

Sorry, I see Chev Walker thinks its bad too.

Chase has just won MOS btw.

No. Anything that helps England win in the short term is good

Well, no he wasnt picked, overlooked by the selectors so obviously he approached England, he must be desperate to play international rugby.

This will be good for English RL because it will say to young English halves; "You might be good, but to play for England you need to be the best".

If he wants to play for England and he wont play for NZ again then its fine by me.

By all means turn down the talent and game changing skills he has for a boring 6th tackle handover whilst 30-0 down against the Aussies but some of us would like to see a little bit of flair and guile about the team for a change.

Remember he has chosen us, we merely accepted and welcomed him. I did wonder if this is us under valuing our own crop, then i realised that our own isnt the best and needs challenging from players like Rangi.

I have no problem with this and welcome him with open arms to play alongside Lomax/(insert other)

Sorry Gronk. Not exactly true. He played in oz for longer, if you include, Flegg etc. First noticed him on a programme called Ngati NRL on Maori Television. Look it up, you'll see the future stars for Australia on there. (tongue firmly in cheek)

A few short months ago, Chase said publicly that he hoped the Exiles match would give him a springboard to get selected for NZ, the country of his birth and the team he dreamed of playing in as a young kid.

Fast forward a few months and he finds himself so overwhelmed by fellow feeling for his new countrymen of less than three years, that his boyhood dreams are forgotten in favour of playing for England.

Regardless of the rights and wrongs of this situation in general terms, refocus on the specifics of Rangi's case and ask yourself what could possibly have happened in the time between the Exiles match and now, to illicit such a dramatic u-turn?

Yes.

As someone who works in RL here, is English and has worked with people who have played in both NRL and SL. I've heard from the people that play and coach the game how there isn't that much of a difference when the top teams in the UK play to the NRL. The main difference being the amount of depth of talent in oz and the intensity of the top teams playing lower teams in SL.

I always believe that we will beat Australia every time we play them and the frustrating thing now will be, when we do, they'll just say we couldn't do it without non-native born players. Which I know is the pot calling the kettle black. But they won't care about that.

This whole scenario isn't helped when the person selected has stated how much they want to play for NZ only a few months ago. It cheapens us as a footballing nation, it makes us an easy option if you can't play for your own country to try and play for ours. I feel for anyone that has the passion and want to play for their country that may now lose a spot. As you can tell I'd prefer to do it without the help of people who are residents for a few years and may go home soon after.

Just my humble but honest opinion.

Never will be good enough because we just pick anyone better then the English player because we feel like it is not a valid reason to select him. Its not a club thing and do not use that if he played for Hull FC I would still object. Willy for England my RRRRs

One easy question is Rangi Chase British or quota player ?

Go to video site and look up:

Maori Haka V's Aboriginal War Cry


You'll see Rangi being very English in the front of the haka.

There are a couple of those maori players I know. Ben Ellis has a british grandad and Charlie Herekotukutuku's mum's dad's a scouser. They're probably eligible for Brit passports. Can they play?

RL is the most insular sport in the world. Every other sport has this kind of thing happening, and yet when we do it apparently the world is about to explode. RU does it all the time, and the England cricket team hasn't been 'pure' in any sense for decades, if it ever was.

Some people would apparently far rather see England smashed to bits every time so long as the whole squad is full of flat cap wearing losers. I don't - I want England to win, and so long as the team is full of players who qualify under the rules and want to play for us, I couldn't care less if the whole squad speaks with an Aussie/Kiwi accent.

Australia and NZ have both taken advantage of the rules in the past. Brent Webb was as Kiwi as Chase is English when selected for NZ. Brad Thorn played league for Australia and Union for the All Blacks. There are many players who qualify for either NZ/Australia, and make the choice themselves (Marshall could have equally chosen Australia BTW, and indeed did play for them at schoolboy level).

As for the message to young British players - get better if you want to get in the team. If you choose to sulk along with your fans instead then go ahead.

Yeah, fair enough. Something just doesn't sit quite right for me personally. I guess I want to beat them like we did in Sydney again and again. Without giving them the "you only did it cos of....."

As an aside, Marshall played for aussie schoolboys as did Foran as they went to school in Australia at the time. That is the only prerequisite for qualification.

Yes, should stick with Maori.

Gronk wrote: .

That would be fine but for the fact he clearly wanted to play for NZ but isn't good enough to get into their side. Hell, he even did an article stating his desire to play for his "Country" a few months back.

I'm not against this kind of thing entirely, but clearly in this instance he has only declared his passion for England now his NZ chance has gone.

It sends out a terrible message to the likes of Lomax,Gaskell Myler etc who are desperate to play for their country and it doesn't matter whether you think they are of suitable international quality or not (it's only your opinion) that's the way it is.

No that easy at all. As I said yesterday. Andy Henderson. Born in the Uk to British parents but was counted as a quota player.

Lets play all the exiles then; they do a better job

I think it is a good thing for England. LEts face it he will be a starter at6. e has an X factor that only Tomkins has at fullback in this country. But what are the alternatives? Sinfield, Maguire, Pryce? I would personally like Lomax to be given a crack but we are talking about Mcbannana here so no doubt he will put Moz at 6 before Chase came to him!

I arent going to read all 14 pages

I agree, The international setup, is pathetic. But Faasavalu played for England. So Rangi isnt the first.

Any England fan that Boo's Rangi Chase, The greatest player in SL. For wanting to represent the country he calls home, IMO is pathetic

I know, From talking to Rangi. He long ago said he was going to extend his Cas contract, And he now has 4 more years, And will extend again. He loves it here, Has fallen in love with England. And wants to represent them,

I dont agree with the rules, But if a player of his calibre comes available. Steve McManara HAS to select him. He is too good to Omit


Surely this now brings Rangi Chase off the quota ?

Well the Man of Steel press releases are still calling him a New Zealander, it's good to have more depth in the halves but I still think it would be ridiculous if Widdop isn't the starting 6.