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'I am the only person who has ever done it, which is a shame'
By Liam Heagney
Tabai Matson, the former dual country international player for Fiji and the All Blacks during the 1990s, has welcomed the game-changing decision by World Rugby to change its Test game eligibility regulations and re-open up the possibility for players to change their national team allegiance.
A decision taken on Wednesday at the latest World Rugby council meeting will now permit an international player to transfer once from one union to another subject to demonstrating a close and credible link to that union via birthright. Each case will be subject to approval by the World Rugby regulations committee to preserve the integrity.
Having represented the All Blacks in ten non-cap matches in 1995 and 1996, including tours to Europe and South Africa, the Fijian-born Matson was able to transfer and twice play for the country of his birth in the lead-up to the 1999 World Cup where he went on to be a non-playing member of the squad at those finals.
Now 48 and head coach at Harlequins having coached Fiji as an assistant at the 2015 World Cup, Matson is delighted that the Pacific Island nations, in particular, can potentially pick up additional players despite getting capped elsewhere previously. For example, the Fijian-born Sevu Reece could now possibly play for the country of his birth three years after his last cap for the All Blacks.
"I played for Fiji and the All Blacks and I am the only person who has ever done it, which is a shame in my opinion," said Matson at his weekly Harlequins media briefing ahead of their Gallagher Premiership game this Saturday at home to London Irish.
"For those of us who were fringe All Blacks or fringe internationals in any game, the ability to play for the country you were born in is priceless. I hold my couple of games for Fiji as highly as I held my New Zealand games. Being a proud Fijian and a proud Kiwi, they are not mutually exclusive so to be able to represent both countries that you hold dear and you have an affinity with is a reasonable ask. I haven't really dug into the laws around how the transfer would happen but for the benefit of world rugby, it is a positive move. Clearly, I have got a history with that."
This loosening of the eligibility regulations, however, might have the negative effect of some clubs being hesitant about signing a player whose Test career appears to be over but who can now potentially become eligible for his birth country.
"It's an interesting one," admitted Matson. "You always recruit with the information that is right in front of you and try not to overthink too much if someone is dual eligible and might be at risk later on. I still feel that any of our players that go off to represent another nation makes the club proud, but it clearly complicates it if you have a whole stack of them.
"Someone like Ben Tapuai is a perfect example of a guy who I recruited to Bath because of that, a former international (with Australia), a really high-level player. I knew that he wasn't going to be eligible to play for anybody else and he was going to be really valuable in somewhere like the Premiership so that is a consideration for a coach for sure.
"Like any conversation, if there is transparency and you are upfront with everything, of course (it should be okay to play Test rugby). One of the first conversations I have with players is where do you want to be in three years and if you still want to be playing for Fiji in another World Cup then you will find that out very quickly if you ask the right question. I don't think it is a problem if you see the long term view of the player in mind."
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Latest Comments
Excellent points Mz. Because of other commitments I have just watched the game.
Interesting watching it after reading all the news reports especially in the English media. I was expecting to see a game that the ABs were very lucky to win. What I saw was a game that England showed their tactical incompetence and their inability to construct any try scoring opportunities.
They can go on deluding themselves that they were unlucky to lose ( as Borthwick said post match ) but until they stop relying on rush defence and goal kicking to win I feel they're doomed to be ranked 4 or 5 in the world.
Can't wait until the weekend to see how the Wallabies go against them
Though I dare say Walter will be hoping for an England win.
Go to commentsIF SA and NZ win then its 1,2,3 SA/NZ/IRL Otherwise as you were. This is largely irrelevant beyond bragging rights.
As I have pointed out elsewhere the practical use of the Rankings is to determine the seedings bands for the RWC draw. The draw takes place early 2026 and hopefully the rankings will be taken from then.
Important to be in the top 6, the top 12. (and likely the top 4).
This is because there are now 6 groups in the RWC 2027.
If you are in top 6 you are in Seeding Band 1. That means none of the other top 6 will be in your group.
Seeding Band 2 are teams from 7-12, who will have a top 6 team but no other 7-12 team.
After England's defeat by NZ there is clear water between NZ in 3rd, France in 4th and England in 5th. England are desperate for top4, ill come back and explain why later.
Lets look at Seeding Band 1 and 6th place. If you make 6th, no top 6 team is in your group, you are top dog. If you win your group, you won't be facing a top 6 team in your 1/8th final, you will be facing a weaker team. If you fail to make 6th place you WILL have a top 6 team in your group and if you don't win your group you WILL (probably) meet a top 6 in the 1/8 final. That's massive.
Its Argentina holding 6th now. Assuming England hold 5th, then its a 4 horse race for 6th. Argentina, Scotland, Italy and ...Australia. (ranked 6,7,8,9)
Australia play the Lions in NH summer 2025 they are running out of time to get up to 6th for their own RWC. They MUST make a move now. They must beat Wales and they really must beat Scotland to gain points and take points off them. Could they surprise England or Ireland? England may be the better bet but Schmidt knows Ireland so well having masterminded their downfall in France.
Another one to watch is Italy V Argentina. Italy are ambitious and they will want to start pushing the likes of Argentina. If they win this they are still in the hunt. Well worth a watch either way.
Top4: I think the top 6 will be seeded, all the way through from the draw. If thats the case then the top 4 will be seeded to avoid each other until the semi. Good for more certainty around ticket sales etc. That's a possible reason why England want in there. You're not in there you are hitting a top 4 team in a QF. That's an extra 50:50 match you can do without and avoid by being top 4.
Lets look at what Seeding bands might look like with todays rankings:
Seeding Band 1
IRE/SA/NZ/FRA/ENG/ARG
Seeding Band 2
SCO/ITA/AUS/FIJ/WAL/GEO
Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if in top 6
Strongest pool opponent: FIJI
1/8 final opponent GEORGIA
Prognosis: advance to 1/4 and potentially beyond
Sample Aussie strongest pool opponent and 1/8th final opponent if NOT in top 6
Strongest pool opponent: SOUTH AFRICA
1/8 final opponent NEW ZEALAND
Prognosis: You know the prognosis
I am pretty sure this is not lost on Joe Schmidt?
Keep in mind when enjoying the matches.
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