Australia to review on overseas player restrictions

Australia to review on overseas player restrictions

Rugby Australia is set to review the rules barring most overseas-based players from representing the Wallabies, officials have said.

Following the news of Dave Rennie's appointment as the new Wallabies head coach, Rugby Australia chief executive Raelene Castle said the law would be part of a wide-ranging review currently being conducted into the Wallabies disappointing year.

Under "Giteau's Law" foreign-based players can only represent Australia if they have accumulated at least 60 Test caps. The law was brought in to allow former coach Michael Cheika to select Matt Giteau and Drew Mitchell for the World Cup in 2015 England that year.

 

Under these regulations, the likes of Samu Kerevi, Adam Coleman, Rory Arnold and Tolu Latu are not eligible to represent the Wallabies after accepting signing contracts abroad.

Rugby Australia chief executive Raelene Castle said the law would be part of a wide-ranging review currently being conducted into the Wallabies disappointing year.


"That will come off the back of the outputs of the review, there's no rush for us to have a look at that," she said Wednesday, adding that it would take into consideration what other countries were doing.


 

South Africa scrapped their Test selection restrictions in 2018 and went on to win the World Cup. Scott Johnson said the Springboks had showed it worked for them.

"Is it right for us? That's something we'll have to look at," he said.

"The reality is, though, we've got a younger group of players that is going to come through that is going to help us change the landscape of Australian rugby so for the large part I'd like them here."



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