World Rugby vice-chairman Augustin Pichot is not a fan of the current three-year residency rule.
In recent years, every rugby nation has benefited from a World Rugby allowance to award Test caps to players not native to countries. The only requirement, at present, is that a player features for a club or province in a chosen country for three seasons.
England’s Six Nations Grand Slam champions featured Marland Yarde [St Lucia], and brothers Billy and Mako Vunipola [born in Sydney and Australia]. Semesa Rokoduguni [Fiji] and Teimana Harrison [New Zealand] have been named in England’s latest training squad.
Pichot was announced as World Rugby’s new vice chairman on Wednesday, and immediately set his stall out. He wants rid of the three-year residency rule but admits it will not be an overnight change. He told reporters:
“Somebody will kill me, but we need to change it.
“This is my personal opinion; I think it is wrong. It should be for life, like in football. But, I understand maybe a five-year [qualification period] and it has been discussed and I think it will be on the agenda in the next six months.
“It’s not an urgent part [of the agenda], but it is very important to keep the identity of your national team; it’s very important.
“It’s a cultural thing and an inspiration to young kids. When you have on your team all players who haven’t lived in the country that they represent, it’s not great.”
In all likelihood, the residency rule will be retained but the time required to be qualified to play for a nation will be extended to four or five years.
Any changes should not affect the Test ambitions of players such as Aki, Heenan or Harrison.
It is worth noting, too, that Pichot’s views clash with those of World Rugby chief executive Brett Gosper, who declared, “There is no research or evidence that would back up a movement [in years required to be a ‘resident’] up.”
Welcome to World Rugby, Augustin.
