Comedy Hour with Steve Brown

[Puja]

Our new chief of the RFU is getting narked about Scotland poaching players who have been developed through English academy systems and has even gone as far as questioning, "Are there rules and regulations that could restrict the selection of those players given they have been in an English academy system for some time?"

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/41740186

Firstly Steve, Scots selecting from diaspora is not headline news. It's not even page 6 news. They're a tiny country, with a tiny player pool, and where a great number of their citizens have historically emigrated. They actively have employees going scouting for descendants of Scottish immigrants to New Zealand, South Africa, Australia and England. So, why are we shocked.

Secondly, they've picked Daryl Marfo, Chris Harris, and Nathan Fowles. This is the point at which we should be pitying them and offering them sympathy, not demanding that they hand our 14th choice outside centre back!

Thirdly, unless you've checked with Eddie whether he's done with Hartley, Hughes, Te'o, and Solomona, maybe you should pipe down about selecting players who've gone through other nations' development systems?

Puja


ETA. Upon re-reading, given there's only a couple of quotes in the midst of the BBC article, I suspect it's probably a frame job done by the reporter based off a few uncontexted answers. However, it's still a stupid thing for our beloved leader to have got himself roped into saying.

[twitchy]

[fivepointer]

i dont mind Brown raising the issue of eligibility. As it currently stands we will lose some players to other nations, but by the same token we've benefited from players who qualify on residency, or through a tenuous grandparent. The rules could do with a serious review.

One thing did stand out in the BBC article was - "Last January, a study by the Daily Mail revealed 25% of the players in the respective 2017 Six Nations squads were not born in the country they were competing for.

England chose seven players who were born outside of the country, while Scotland had 18"

[Mikey Brown]

Yeah it's all getting a bit silly, but nobody is really in a position to mock anyone else for their selection policies.

The Scotland squad is awful.

[Mellsblue]

The difference, to me, is that the union are actively pursuing players at age group level. This is a step up from 'project players' and miles from the RFU picking players who have been enticed by a club side and then qualified through residency or suddenly found an English grandparent.

[kk67]

The difference, to me, is that the union are actively pursuing players at age group level. This is a step up from 'project players' and miles from the RFU picking players who have been enticed by a club side and then qualified through residency or suddenly found an English grandparent.

What about English public schools offering free scholarships to overseas players to go through 6th form..?.

[Mellsblue]

The difference, to me, is that the union are actively pursuing players at age group level. This is a step up from 'project players' and miles from the RFU picking players who have been enticed by a club side and then qualified through residency or suddenly found an English grandparent.

What about English public schools offering free scholarships to overseas players to go through 6th form..?.

Wonderfully charitable of them and no demands on the player to represent England. I agree those schools should be applauded. Does it count towards our Foreign Aid budget? I'm sure the valleys could the classed as third world.

[kk67]

The difference, to me, is that the union are actively pursuing players at age group level. This is a step up from 'project players' and miles from the RFU picking players who have been enticed by a club side and then qualified through residency or suddenly found an English grandparent.

What about English public schools offering free scholarships to overseas players to go through 6th form..?.

Wonderfully charitable of them and no demands on the player to represent England. I agree those schools should be applauded. Does it count towards our Foreign Aid budget? I'm sure the valleys could the classed as third world.

We're definitely in General Melched's vicinity.

[Mellsblue]

What about English public schools offering free scholarships to overseas players to go through 6th form..?.

Wonderfully charitable of them and no demands on the player to represent England. I agree those schools should be applauded. Does it count towards our Foreign Aid budget? I'm sure the valleys could the classed as third world.

We're definitely in Gen. Melched vicinity.

Agreed, Darling.

[kk67]

I watched a bit of the ManU v L'pool football match.....I think there was not a single Lancastrian in the starting 22.
WTF is the point..?.

[Stom]

I watched a bit of the ManU v L'pool football match.....I think there was not a single Lancastrian in the starting 22.
WTF is the point..?.

Just an aside, Phil Jones is from Preston, definitely Lancashire.