'It's a stupid rule' - Soon-to-be Ireland eligible James Lowe weighs in on eligibility drama
New Zealand-born Leinster wing James Lowe has branded World Rugby's eligibility laws as "stupid" and "weird", less than a year before he becomes eligible to play for Ireland on residency grounds.
Speaking at a World Cup preview event for Irish website The42, Lowe revealed to a Dublin audience how close he came to making his test debut for the All Blacks in 2015 and talked about the prospect of representing Ireland as early as next year.
Much has been made of World Rugby's eligibility laws in the wake of Ireland's World Cup squad announcement, with the selection of South African-born lock Jean Kleyn - who only qualified for Ireland two days before his test debut against Italy last month - ahead of veteran second rower Devin Toner causing a stir.
Kiwi-born Bundee Aki is another who has utilised the residency law to enable him to represent Ireland, as have South African-born Irish teammate CJ Stander.
After joining Pro14 club Leinster from the Chiefs in Super Rugby two years ago, Lowe will be eligible to play for Ireland in 2020 after having lived in the country for three years.
While he said he would give his "absolute best" for Ireland if given the chance, Lowe was conflicted about the prospect of representing his adopted nation.
"If I look at it, it's a stupid [eligibility] rule, isn't it?" he said.
"Like … I could dig myself a big hole here, obviously.
"I would love to play international rugby, don't get me wrong. And it would be such a privilege — such an honour — to represent Ireland. That would be awesome.
"Obviously, we've still got a long way to see if that's going to happen.
"But it's a weird rule, eh? Like, three years? It's [moving] up to five which is probably more reasonable in a way. But it's weird that I could be Irish, isn't it? Like, it is weird."
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Turning out in the emerald green is not the career path most would have envisaged for the 27-year-old, especially given he was on the cusp of representing the All Blacks four years ago.
"I got to a stage in my career where I was down to play a test match [for the All Blacks] against Samoa in Samoa [in 2015] but I had to get shoulder surgery," Lowe said.
"So instead of me going, George Moala went over and he made his test debut.
"So when I think about it like that, like if I hadn't hurt my shoulder… It was pretty bad, I rehabbed it for six weeks and got back and was able to play, but I even met with the All Blacks coaches and they were like, 'We don't want to play you in your test debut when you're not at a 100 per cent. And you don't want to do that either'."
At the time, Lowe was plying his trade for the Chiefs in Super Rugby alongside his good friend Brad Weber, who had joined Moala, Nepo Laulala and Charlie Ngatai in making their international debuts against Samoa.
Coincidentally, it was Weber who Lowe was with when he received the contract offer from Leinster in 2017.
"Literally, at the time when this [Leinster] contract came through, I was in ... Taranaki... at [Chiefs] a team-building exercise and I had Brad Weber next to me.
"We were on this coal track — you could do this thing where you could hop in a coal mine, in a cart, and there's pedals and you'd pedal your way down.
"I was literally on that, and I got this email from my agent. And I was like, 'An offer's come through', and I showed Brad and he was like, 'Holy heck!'
"Because Brad Weber is a very good friend of mine but he was in the exact same position where he was on the fringe [of All Black contention], and we were supposed to make our debut together against Samoa.
"Obviously, I couldn't because I had to get surgery, but he made his debut then."
Lowe conceded that it would have been "a dream" to play for the All Blacks, but his non-selection for the Samoa test led him to look at opportunities elsewhere.
"I would have been in the exact same boat as him [Weber] where I was given the opportunity, I would have been capped once and then I would have been battling hard every single year, trying to perform the best that I can just so I could hopefully sit on the bench for a couple of caps, you know?" he said.
"When you put it into perspective like that, like… I would have been happy. Obviously, it was a dream for me to play for the All Blacks, you know, being a kid from New Zealand.
"But then you get to a stage in your life where you've got to sometimes park dreams and think of opportunity."
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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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