Ireland lose to the Sunwolves

A record-high 16 foreign-born players have been selected in Jamie Joseph’s 31-man squad for Japan, captained by New Zealand-born Michael Leitch for the second straight time.

This IRB 3 year eligibility rule is a joke. They plan is to make it 5 years in 2021.... too little too late.

Australia has the second most foreigners with 14.

New Zealand (surprise surprise ) has only 4. ( As most Islanders are born in NZ.) 

South Africa has 1. The Beast from Zim.

France has their own rule: you must have French citizenship: Which could be a good rule but you just know countries will simply award citizenship cheaply just to bolster the squad and make them more competitive.

You must be born in the country you represent should be the rule.  

Argentina, Namibia and Uruguay have no foreigners playing for their team .

Ireland 5.

England 6.

Wales 8.

Italy 8.

aussies have heaps because most aussies dont play the sport..... shame becasue the best athletes all play league.

talking to mate at golf club the other night and imagine if latrell mitchell & ado carr (for example) decided to play rugby... instant super stars...

Razor

The Japan captain today was Labuschagne not Leitch.   However, that is not important to my mind, what is remains the fact  that the Irish and the UK Unions, as well as in France in domestic competition use literally hundreds of SH players and if effectively have an influence in both domestic and test rugby,

That is also one of the reasons that the NH teams perform well on test level.  You would never get a rule on "borne in the country" to be accepted by them.  They know they do not have the resources to make that possible and remain to be competitive,  

I think one of the main reasons for the Irish loss today is the fact that the NH teams in general can only perform when they are playing on the mud-field playing conditions in the UK, France and Ireland,   If those conditions are absent they go down the drain in competition..             

Look to me more nd more like a NZ - SA final this year,   with England playing NZ in the semi and SA Wales,