In a sense neither the SRU nor the players are not to blame. As Hardie admitted, the All Blacks were his Plan A, representing Scotland was his consolation prize (rugby can be so cruel). Both he and the unions are merely exploiting loopholes that should have been closed a long time ago. This is not to say that foreign-born players should be banned from representing another country. The world is now a globalised community. The Vunipola brothers and Taulupe Faletau came to Britain from Tonga as youngsters and no one bar Donald Trump would begrudge their right to represent England and Wales.