Smith dropped from France's Six Nations squad
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Smith dropped from France's Six Nations squad
David Smith's elation at being called up for France's Six Nations side by coach Guy Noves was swiftly ended when it was discovered that he is ineligible to play for the side.
Smith, who currently plays for Castres, has been a French resident for long but he played a Rugby Sevens match for New Zealand in 2008.
World Rugby's Regulation 8.2 says: "A Player who has played for the senior... National Representative Sevens Team of a Union is not eligible to play for... another Union."
It seems that Smith's documentation was not as diligently scrutinised by the French rugby federation (FFR) as they should have been.
Smith, who currently plays for Castres, has been a French resident for long but he played a Rugby Sevens match for New Zealand in 2008.
World Rugby's Regulation 8.2 says: "A Player who has played for the senior... National Representative Sevens Team of a Union is not eligible to play for... another Union."
It seems that Smith's documentation was not as diligently scrutinised by the French rugby federation (FFR) as they should have been.
"When he arrived, David told us he'd played an international Sevens tournament in Edinburgh in 2008 for New Zealand," said an FFR statement.
"For that reason, David is not eligible for the French national XV team due to the international regulations and will be released on Monday morning."
