LONDON – The Australian Rugby Union has eased restrictions in their Player Contracting Policy allowing overseas-based players the opportunity to play for the Wallabies if they have over 60 caps for the national team and has held a professional rugby contract with the ARU for over seven years.
Before the announced change, the eligibility laws stipulated that players were not considered eligible for national selection if they played for overseas-based provincial clubs. This saw players that chose to follow the big bucks to the northern hemisphere rendered ineligible for national selection. However, that will now change under the new laws which come amidst the exodus of Australian players after the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
The decision which is effective immediately will see current Wallabies weighing up big-cash overseas deals reconsider their futures, potentially staying down under in order to meet the requirements for overseas-based Wallaby selection.
Australian Rugby Union CEO Bill Pulver said the change to eligibility laws was made in the best interests of the code.
“This is a pivotal moment for Rugby in Australia, where for the first time in its professional history, the ARU will allow overseas-based players who have made a significant contribution to Australian Rugby to become eligible for the Qantas Wallabies,” Mr Pulver said.
“It’s a decision that recognises the changing dynamics of a global Rugby market for professional players. Combined with our other recruitment and retention strategies, we feel this decision allows the ARU to assert more influence over player movement and contracting in Australia and abroad.”
Mr Pulver said the decision would provide short and long-term benefits to Australian rugby.
“Those players who satisfy the 60-game and seven-year threshold have already invested heavily and contributed considerably to Australian Rugby over a long period of time,” he said.
“The policy also encourages those players who have not yet reached that point to commit exclusively to Australian Rugby in the prime of their career. In this way, we believe the policy supports Super Rugby by encouraging our top players to remain in Australia for longer.”