[urlhttp://www.englandrl.co.uk/article.php?id=23686[/url

What the flying feck?

We have more Aussies/New Zealanders in our squad than a NRL team the RFL is a joke!.

I was against this when it was Fa'asavallu but my opinions have changed. Both Australia and New Zealand take advantage of the residency and migration patterns on their population, so why should not we?

Just about every other sport also does this and I think its time to get our head round a different concept in relation to migration and the way people chose to live their lives.

International Rugby League needs a competitive England side as does the sport in this country so for me, why not if he can improve our chances of winning.

In principle I can't agree with it BUT checking out that interview he comes across very genuine.
Every other nation are at it in nearly every other sport and as such I can live with it.
Now hopefully McBanana can pair him with a decent scrum half (please please let it be Lomax) and well have a good crack at the Aussies/Kiwis this autumn

After thinking about it, it can only be a good thing. He's better than anyone 'English' at 6 and we will have the three best players in SL this season playing 1, 6 and 9. Let's just hope the other England players aren't against it and lift their game to his level.

not seen much of the nrl this year but could widdop not do a job at scrum half? think we need someone to direct us around the field with a good kicking game. does he fill that role? chase will be class at 6 and with a good 7 we could go really well! id prefer to have lomax on the bench and go with either brough or widdop at 7. lomax can cover any posistion in the back line so would be a great backup player to have on the bench.

It just isn't right, and other teams taking advantage of residency rules doesn't mean we have to stoop to that level in this country. I can understand Heighington playing as he has an English parent, but not Chase, not after just 3 years in the country. If he wants to be English he should get English citizenship before he plays for the national team.

What a bloody farce internationl sport is....

Should make the next visa application go a bit more smoothly .

Internatioal Rugby League . A COMPLETE JOKE .

I have said it before and I will say it again.

The crap player pool we have IS NOT the coaches fault. His concern is result. IF he believes these players will help get results then he should pick them.

Chase, Widdop, Reed etc. are better than what we have!

I agree. If he decides to make the UK his home then fair enough but if him being able to play for England is allowed under the rules then the rules are too lax. Same applies to this kind of thing happening in Oz and NZ.

What a load of crap, it's annoying that talented English born players could miss out on a chance of gaining valuable international experience because of the idiots at the RFL, how are we supposed to develop our international game. I thought Rugby Union was bad enough with Hape and Tuilangi playing for England, looks like were going down the same route!!

If he does start playing for England he needs Castleford to start making the playoffs every year so he can have more big game experience. His game could kick on a level then imo but if that doesnt happen he needs at least to move to a regular super league contender if he wants to be really good.

Who do you reckon said this earlier this year?

I've not seen it mentioned here but apparently cherry evans was also given the option to join the England team because his mum has English heritage .

I dont mind when it's because of family like pats parents being Irish but I'm not sure about residency yet. I think growing up with football as the main sport in the house makes it seem odd to me but I know all the pacific islanders do it so suppose it ain't too bad as it's what the others do just seems odd to me.
It's not like he could show any less passion for the shirt than the rest of the squad/some of the fans though is it?

Joke

how very strange

what the hell happens to Widdop now?

Pacific Islanders often have to choose because their parents/grandparents were from the Islands but emigrated and the player may have been brought up in New Zealand or Australia. So fair enough, they have a decision to make between the country of their parentage or country of their upbringing. They can be nationals of both, of course.

What I don't like is someone coming over here as an adult to further their career and then being picking as "English" because they've been here a handful of years. Jeez, Rangi even sounds like the Kiwi he is.

Good to hear. If he qualifies for residency that's good enough for me. He's old enough to make the choice for himself.

Likewise if some of the English lads down under decide they want to play for Australia, that's fine. Although I wouldn't give them the time of day if they came back and I'm sure the same is true for Chase in New Zealand. That's the sacrifice you make.

He was misquoted. What he actually said was "Its been a dream of mine to wear the Red and White of England which is why I came here in the first place. I just wish the Country of my birth didnt have sh*t stars on the flag of Great Britain. God Save The Queen."

I think players should only be named in International sides if they truly believe that that is their nationality. Civoniceva for example was born in Fiji, moved to Oz when he was 2 and deems himself to be an Aussie. I have no issues at all with him playing for Australia. Someone who has moved here for a few years and isn't good enough to get in his own squad (debateable perhaps) should not be able to play for England unless he has a British passport and truly believes he is English. If Rangi believes that in the way Tony Smith does then welcome aboard.

He plays alongside Chase?

Cue the good old north of england names for him

I'll start with Angus Chase

Think you will have to travel a bit further north for that one .