... because the I.R.B. changed the eligibility rule after applications
for six players to play for Samoa had been submitted, he said.
Three Pacific Island rugby unions are to challenge the IRB in court over a rule change on player eligibility.
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“I was a bit disappointed,” said Manu Samoa assistant coach, Namulauulu Alama Ieremia, when the IRB removed a rule which allowed a player from one country to play for another after representing the latter in one leg of the 7’s World Series.
The change is that players set to change allegiance must play in four legs in the series.
This makes a switch much harder if not impossible because of the length of time away from contracts to clubs and franchises.
Fiji, Samoa and Tonga are preparing a court challenge to the rule change, Namulauulu told Samoa Capital Radio this morning.
“It’s inappropriate,” he said.
Because the IRB changed the eligibility rule after applications for six players to play for Samoa had been submitted, he said.
Two of those players were scheduled to represent Manu Samoa 7’s at the Gold Coast tournament last weekend, said Namulauulu, in order to qualify for the national 15s.
Another two were to have turned out for the Wellington leg of the 7’s World Series, with the remaining two scheduled for the Los Angeles leg.
Two of the players were picked for Manu Samoa’s tour of Europe end of the year, Namulauulu said.
There is still hope an IRB meeting yesterday would approve the allegiance switch of the six players applied for.
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