20 teams will compete at RWC 2019 in Japan. Of them 17 have selected players from other countries. How then did they come to qualify for the country they are representing?

The following article is aimed at explaining who they are and how they qualify. It is not an opinion piece but instead sets out to be informative, giving the reader a greater understanding of how the eligibility process functions.

Eligibility must be obtained by meeting Regulation 8 as outlined by World Rugby. Doing so requires a player to (a) be born in the country; (b) have one parent or grandparent from the country; or (c) complete 3 years consecutive residency immediately before representative duty.

Changes since RWC 2015 have seen a tightening of the residency qualifying with it having been extended from 3 to 5 years. While this will not begin until the end of 2020 it must be clarified that the change was motivated precisely as a response to the number of foreign-born players at RWC 2015 and the subsequent qualifying of players in 2016 and 2017.

To review the Foreign-Born players at RWC 2015 click here.

The RWC 2019 edition has been compiled to ask and answer the question as to which players were and were not produced by a union. This is connected to the use of a new column which outlines other representative duty to document the comparative history of the players.

The events of 2018 which began in Brussels, Belgium, underline why the point from the above paragraph is fundamental for RWC 2019. The aftermath would see Belgium, Romania, and Spain all disqualified for breaching Regulation 8.

Russia replaced Romania as Europe 1 after center Sione Faka’osilea was confirmed as having already been captured by Tonga; while Mathieu Bélie and Bastien Fuster were deemed to be captured by France. The punishment was the same though the policy which saw Bélie and Fuster captured no longer exists as countries can no longer nominate their u20 side as their ‘next senior XV’.

Tonga (19)

With 19 players born abroad Tonga has more players born in other countries than all others competing at RWC 2019. All 20 men qualify via a parent with 18 born in New Zealand, and the other two in Australia. Of the overall roster, 10 players played for New Zealand u20 and two for Australia u20 compared to four from Tonga u20.

Of those born abroad 13 played representative rugby for other countries prior to being capped by Tonga. Some cases of note are Ben Tameifuna who was in the June 2012 New Zealand roster, but did not play, against Ireland; and Cooper Vuna played two test matches for Australia in 2012 before subsequently qualifying for Tonga via the Olympic loophole.

Careful analysis of where the players were raised and where they played their rugby determines that Tonga’s roster has nine homegrown players. For instance Siegfried Fisi’ihoi, Sione Kalamafoni, Siua Maile, Afa Pakalani, and Tane Takulua were born in Tonga but moved to New Zealand in their pre-teens or teens.

PLAYER POS BIRTH COUNTRY ELIGIBILITY OTHER REP. Latu Talakai LH New Zealand Parent New Zealand u20 Paula Ngauamo HK New Zealand Parent New Zealand u20 Ben Tameifuna TH New Zealand Parent New Zealand u20 Sam Lousi LO New Zealand Parent – Steve Mafi LO Australia Parent Australia Schools, Australia u18 Dan Faleafa LO New Zealand Parent New Zealand u20 Zane Kapeli FL New Zealand Parent – Nasi Manu N8 New Zealand Parent New Zealand u20 Ma’ama Vaipulu N8 New Zealand Parent – Leon Fukofuka SH New Zealand Parent New Zealand u20 James Faiva FH New Zealand Parent – Kurt Morath FH New Zealand Parent New Zealand u21 Mali Hingano CE Australia Parent – Otumaka Mausia CE New Zealand Parent New Zealand u20 Siale Piutau CE New Zealand Parent – Nafi Tu’itavake CE New Zealand Parent New Zealand 7s, New Zealand u20 Viliami Lolohea WI New Zealand Parent – Cooper Vuna WI New Zealand Parent Australia Telusa Veainu FB New Zealand Parent New Zealand u20

Samoa (18)

Of Samoa’s 14 players born in Samoa, many moved to either Australia or New Zealand as children. This leaves Samoa with three homegrown players – Alapati Leiua, Melani Matavao, and Logovi’i Mulipola.

Seilala Lam was born in New Zealand but moved to Australia aged 11; Paul Alo-Emile was also raised in Australia and also played for Australia at the u20 Championship; Jack Lam moved from New Zealand to Australia for his high school years; Scott Malolua and Henry Taefu both also played for Australia u20 but were born in Samoa. The former was ruled out of the RWC and replaced by Pete Cowley.

Tusi Pisi moved to New Zealand aged 7 while Jordan and James Lay were born in Samoa but moved to New Zealand aged 2 and 3 respectively. Fullback Ahsee Tuala moved to New Zealand aged 2 while Asa Amosa was born in Samoa but moved to Australia aged 2. Others were older such as Rey Lee-Lo aged 13 and Alapati Leiua aged 16.

There are also two players – Belgium Tuatagaloa and Tim Nanai-Williams – who both played Sevens for New Zealand in capped international competition. They subsequently became eligible for Samoa via the Olympic Loophole.

PLAYER POS BIRTH COUNTRY ELIGIBILITY OTHER REP. Seilala Lam HK New Zealand Parent Australia u20 Motu Matu’u HK New Zealand Parent – Ray Niuia HK New Zealand Parent – Michael Ala’alatoa TH Australia Parent – Paul Alo-Emile TH New Zealand Parent Australia u20 Kane Leaupepe LO New Zealand Parent – Filo Paulo LO New Zealand Parent – Senio Toleafoa LO Australia Parent Australia u20 Chris Vui LO New Zealand Parent New Zealand u20 Piula Fa’asalele FL New Zealand Parent – Jack Lam FL New Zealand Parent Australia Schools Josh Tyrell N8 New Zealand Parent – Pete Cowley SH New Zealand Parent – Dwayne Polotaivao SH New Zealand Parent – Ulupano Seuteni FH Australia Parent Australia u20 Kieron Fonotia CE New Zealand Grandparent – Belgium Tuatagaloa WI New Zealand Parent New Zealand 7s Tim Nanai-Williams FB New Zealand Parent New Zealand 7s

Japan (16)

Captain Michael Leitch, as well as Ata’ata Moeakiola, Asaeli Valu, and Ji-Won Koo all moved to Japan aged 14 or 15. Hendrik Tui did so aged 19 to attend university. Others including Uwe Helu, Timothy Lafaele, and Amanaki Mafi received higher education in the country along with Moeakiola, Nakajima, Valu, and Koo. Mafi played for Tonga u20 before attending university in Japan. In 2014 both Tonga and Japan named him on their rosters for the November Internationals in 2014. Lappies Labuschagne was selected to play for his native South Africa for the June 2013 internationals but was not capped. This enabled him, under World Rugby regulations, to remain unattached and thereby play for Japan upon competing three years residency.

PLAYER POS BIRTH COUNTRY ELIGIBILITY OTHER REP. Isieli Nakajima LH Tonga Residency (2011) – Ji-Won Koo TH South Korea Residency (2011) – Asaeli Valu TH Tonga Residency (2007) – Luke Thompson LO New Zealand Residency (2007) – Wimpie van der Walt LO South Africa Residency (2017) – Uwe Helu LO Tonga Residency (2016) – James Moore LO Australia Residency (2019) – Michael Leitch FL New Zealand Residency (2007) – Lappies Labuschagne FL South Africa Residency (2019) – Hendrik Tui FL New Zealand Residency (2009) – Amanaki Mafi N8 Tonga Residency (2013) Tonga u20 Timothy Lafaele CE Samoa Residency (2017) – Will Tupou CE New Zealand Residency (2016) Lomano Lemeki WI New Zealand Residency (2012) – Ata’ata Moeakiola WI Tonga Residency (2014) – Kotaro Matsushima FB South Africa Parent –

Scotland (15)

Scotland’s flanker John Barclay was born abroad but moved to Scotland aged 7 while Duncan Taylor was schooled in multiple countries including Scotland. The remaining players were raised abroad and instead qualify via (a) parent; (b) grandparent; or (c) three-year residency as adults. With 7 players having eligibility from their third generation family roots Scotland easily has more RWC players qualifying via a grandparent than all others. No other competitor has more than two qualifying via a grandparent while thirteen of the twenty teams have zero.

PLAYER POS BIRTH COUNTRY ELIGIBILITY OTHER REP. Allan Dell LH South Africa Grandparent South Africa u20 Simon Berghan TH New Zealand Grandparent – WP Nel TH South Africa Residency (2015) – Ben Toolis LO Australia Parent ARU Academy John Barclay FL Hong Kong Parent – Hamish Watson FL England Grandparent – Blade Thomson N8 New Zealand Grandparent New Zealand u20, NZ Māori Ryan Wilson N8 England Grandparent – Ali Price SH England Parent – Henry Pygros SH England Parent – Chris Harris CE England Grandparent England Counties Sam Johnson CE Australia Residency (2018) Australia Schools Duncan Taylor CE England Parent – Sean Maitland WI New Zealand Grandparent NZ Māori, New Zealand Schools, New Zealand u19, New Zealand u20 Tommy Seymour WI USA Parent Ireland u19

USA (13)

The USA has (a) two players born abroad but raised in the country; (b) seven players born and raised abroad who qualify via a parent or grandparent; and (c) the use of three-year residency for four adult players. Shaun Davies, Dylan Fawsitt, AJ MacGinty, Paul Lasike, and Paul Mullen all moved to the USA for higher education studies. John Quill moved to the USA in 2012 and from there was selected for international duty; Hanco Germishuys and Ruben du Haas left South Africa moved to the USA aged 11 and 10; while Greg Peterson qualifies via his American parents. David Ainu’u was born in the USA territory of American Samoa but raised in Washington state where he began playing rugby.

PLAYER POS BIRTH COUNTRY ELIGIBILITY OTHER REP. Dylan Fawsitt HK Ireland Residency (2017) – James Hilterbrand HK Australia Parent Australia u18 Paul Mullen TH Ireland Grandparent Ireland u19 Greg Peterson LO Australia Parent Australia u20 Hanco Germishuys FL South Africa Residency (2007) – Tony Lamborn FL New Zealand Parent – John Quill FL Ireland Parent Ireland Schools Shaun Davies SH South Africa Residency (2012) – Ruben du Haas SH South Africa Residency (2012) – Will Hooley FH England Grandparent England u18, u20 AJ MacGinty FH Ireland Residency (2015) – Will Magie FH England Parent – Paul Lasike CE New Zealand Residency (2012) –

Australia (12)

All of Australia’s foreign-born players qualify via residency. Of them, 10 were raised in Australia with the two born and raised outside of Australia both having moved to the country from Fiji to play professional sport as adults. They are Isi Naisarani and Marika Koroibete. The former signed a contract with Rugby Australia before being eligible to play for the Wallabies; while the latter played in the Rugby League World Cup for Fiji.

PLAYER POS BIRTH COUNTRY ELIGIBILITY OTHER REP. Tolu Latu HK Tonga Residency (1998) – Jordan Uelese HK New Zealand Residency (2011) – Taniela Tupou TH Tonga Residency (2017) Tonga u15 David Pocock FL Zimbabwe Residency (2005) – Lukhan Salakaia-Loto FL New Zealand Residency (2002) – Isi Naisarani N8 Fiji Residency (2019) – Will Genia SH Papua New Guinea Residency (2003) – Christian Leali’ifano FH New Zealand Residency (1997) – Samu Kerevi CE Fiji Residency (2004) Fiji u20 Tevita Kuridrani CE Fiji Residency (2010) Fiji u20 Marika Koroibete WI Fiji Residency (2015) Fiji (RL) Dane Haylett-Petty FB South Africa Residency (2003) –

ITALY (8)

Captain Sergio Parisse moved to Italy aged 17. The remaining players all either arrived as adults or qualified via a parent or a grandparent but were not raised in the country. Sebastian Negri and Jake Polledri both played for Italy u20 despite not having resided in the country. Four others all played u20s for other countries competing in RWC 2019.

PLAYER POS BIRTH COUNTRY ELIGIBILITY OTHER REP. Dean Budd LO New Zealand Residency (2015) New Zealand u19 David Sisi LO Germany Parent England u20 Sebastian Negri FL Zimbabwe Parent – Jake Polledri FL England Grandparent – Sergio Parisse N8 Argentina Parent – Braam Steyn N8 South Africa Residency (2015) South Africa u20 Callum Braley SH England Grandparent England u16, u18, u20 Jayden Hayward FB New Zealand Residency (2017) –

Wales (8)

Wales has a mixture of (a) players born abroad but raised in the country; (b) players born and raised abroad who qualify via a parent or grandparent; and (c) the use of three-year residency for one adult player. Of the players Hallam Amos, Jonathan Davies, George North, and Aaron Shingler were raised in Wales, having moved there as children; Ross Moriarty was born in England but mostly raised in Wales; while Hadleigh Parkes debuted for Wales on the same day that he completed his residency requirements at the age of 30.

PLAYER POS BIRTH COUNTRY ELIGIBILITY OTHER REP. Tomas Francis TH England Grandparent – Jake Ball LO England Parent – Aaron Shingler FL England Residency (1992) England u19 Cricket Ross Moriarty N8 England Parent England u18, u20 Jonathan Davies CE England Parent – Hadleigh Parkes CE New Zealand Residency (2017) – Hallam Amos WI England Residency (2004) – George North WI England Parent –

Ireland (7)

Ireland’s players born abroad are of two varieties – (a) Luke McGrath and Joey Carbery moved from Canada and New Zealand to Ireland as children; and (b) ‘Project Players’. Jean Kleyn, CJ Stander, and Bundee Aki were all born and raised abroad and moved to Ireland on professional rugby contracts in their 20’s to all become eligible through residency. They would all debut for Ireland immediately after completing three years eligibility. In the case of Kleyn this would see him debuting on August 10 two days after becoming eligible. Stander was South Africa’s u20 captain. Hooker Rob Herring joined the roster ahead of the Quarter Finals.

PLAYER POS BIRTH COUNTRY ELIGIBILITY OTHER REP. Rob Herring HK South Africa Grandparent – Jean Kleyn LO South Africa Residency (2019) – Jordi Murphy FL Spain Parent – CJ Stander N8 South Africa Residency (2016) South Africa u18, u20 Luke McGrath SH Canada Parent – Joey Carbery FH New Zealand Parent – Bundee Aki CE New Zealand Residency (2017) –

England (6)

England’s residency-qualified players all completed their three year periods prior to adulthood. The terminology of New Zealand born for Willi Heinz is far less accurate as he arrived in England from Super Rugby as a grown man. Manu Tuilagi’s brothers Freddie, Henry, Alesana, Anitelea, and Vavae all played for Samoa where they were born and raised. Unlike them, Manu was raised in England though in 2010 he faced deportation for having entered the UK on a tourist visa and subsequently overstaying.

PLAYER POS BIRTH COUNTRY ELIGIBILITY OTHER REP. Mako Vunipola LH New Zealand Residency (2008) – Sam Underhill FL USA Parent – Billy Vunipola N8 Australia Residency (2008) – Willi Heinz SH New Zealand Grandparent – Manu Tuilagi CE Samoa Residency (2007) – Joe Cokanasiga WI Fiji Residency (2003) –

France (5)

Of all of rugby’s most powerful countries it is France who leads the way when it comes to players needing to prove their commitment to the cause. Playing for France requires not only eligibility but also for players to have a French passport. Contrary to common belief Virimi Vakatawa was born in Rangiora, New Zealand. He would move to Fiji as a child and begin playing rugby there aged 9 and at the age of 17 played for Fiji u19. It was at this point that Sireli Bobo assisted him to move to France. Alivereti Raka moved to France aged 20 and would turn down selection for Fiji in 2017 to instead play for France, debuting in 2019. Forwards Peato Mauvaka and Sébastien Vaha’amahina were born in New Caledonia, a French territory in the South Pacific Ocean.

PLAYER POS BIRTH COUNTRY ELIGIBILITY OTHER REP. Cedate Gomes Sa TH Guinea-Bissau Residency (2008) – Bernard le Roux FL South Africa Residency (2012) – Sofiane Guitoune CE Algeria Residency (1995) – Virimi Vakatawa CE New Zealand Residency (2013) Fiji u19 Alivereti Raka WI Fiji Residency (2018) –

Canada (5)

Canada’s roster features two instances of players from Ireland with differing Canadian ancestry. Firstly Peter Nelson qualifies via a grandparent who was born in Toronto but moved to Ireland aged 7. Secondly Shane O’Leary qualifies via his mother and played for Canada at u20 level. DTH van der Merwe moved with his family from South Africa in his teens while Gordon McRorie went traveling to North America aged 23 and decided to make Canada his home. Dustin Dobravsky joined the roster ahead of the final match against Namibia.

PLAYER POS BIRTH COUNTRY ELIGIBILITY OTHER REP. Dustin Dobravsky FH Germany Parent Germany u18 Gordon McRorie SH Scotland Residency (2014) – Shane O’Leary FH Ireland Parent – DTH van der Merwe WI South Africa Residency (2006) – Peter Nelson FB Ireland Grandparent Ireland u20, Emerging Ireland

Fiji (4)

The rugby masters of spontaneity are Fiji. The Flying Fijians tendency to threaten heavyweights may well again be a feature in RWC 2019. Fiji comes in with four foreign-born players. Of them Ben Volavola spent some years of his childhood in Fiji. He and the three others born abroad all qualify for Fiji via a parent.

PLAYER POS BIRTH COUNTRY ELIGIBILITY OTHER REP. Campese Ma’afu LH Australia Parent – Sam Matavesi HK England Parent – Ben Volavola FH Australia Parent Australia u20 Josh Matavesi CE England Parent –

New Zealand (4)

New Zealand has four players from abroad, all of whom qualify via residency. Of them Sevu Reece moved to play rugby in New Zealand on a high school scholarship aged 17; and Shannon Frizell did so on an academy contract with the Tasman Makos. The two others moved in their early teens. Ofa Tu’ungafasi moved to New Zealand aged 14. His father, Mofuike Tu’ungafasi, played for Tonga at RWC 1987.

PLAYER POS BIRTH COUNTRY ELIGIBILITY OTHER REP. Ofa Tu’ungafasi LH Tonga Residency (2009) – Nepo Laulala TH Samoa Residency (2007) – Shannon Frizell FL Tonga Residency (2017) Tonga u20, Tonga u17 Soccer Sevu Reece WI Fiji Residency (2017) –

RUSSIA (2)

Russia’s 31 players are all homegrown. Two however, were born abroad. Winger Igor Galinovski was born in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan in 1985. At the time of his birth it was part of the USSR, a country which has not existed since 1991. At the time of Soviet disintegration Galinovski lived in Russia, the home SSR of his parents. RWC 2019 is a second chance for Galinovski who missed RWC 2011 through injury. Vladislav Sozonov moved from Ukraine to Russia as an infant and would begin playing rugby in Russia at the age of 10.

PLAYER POS BIRTH COUNTRY ELIGIBILITY OTHER REP. Igor Galinovski WI Azerbaijan SSR Parent – Vladislav Sozonov WI Ukraine Parent –

SOUTH AFRICA (1)

Tendai Mtawarira has over 100 caps for South Africa and is the only player in the Springboks’ RWC roster born abroad. He has over a decade of representative duty for South Africa after moving from Zimbabwe to the Sharks. The remaining 30 players were all born and raised in South Africa.

PLAYER POS BIRTH COUNTRY ELIGIBILITY OTHER REP. Tendai Mtawarira LH Zimbabwe Residency (2008) Zimbabwe u18

GEORGIA (1)

The Lelos are entirely homegrown and 30 of the 31 players were born in Georgia. One exception is Merab Sharikadze, born in Moscow to Georgian parents who returned to Tbilisi shortly after. He and all of Georgia’s other 30 players were raised in the country.

PLAYER POS BIRTH COUNTRY ELIGIBILTY OTHER REP. Merab Sharikadze CE Russia Parent –

Namibia (0)

All of Namibia’s players were born in the country. Desiderius Sethie was born in 1992 in the Namibian port city of Walvis Bay which had been a South African territory until 1993. With this being a technicality he is not listed. Six of the players were not strictly homegrown. Aranos Coetzee was born in Namibia but spent his high school years in South Africa and would go on to play for South Africa at u18 level. Another prop, AJ de Klerk, was also born in Namibia but moved to South Africa as a child while Rohan Kitshoff, Louis van der Westhuizen, and Torsten van Jaarsveld also had junior careers in South Africa.

ARGENTINA (0)

All 31 members of Argentina’s RWC 2019 roster were born and raised in Argentina.

URUGUAY (0)

All 31 members of Uruguay’s RWC 2019 roster were born and raised in Uruguay.