Law change could set Folau free to play for Tonga at World Cup

Israel Folau could represent Tonga at the 2023 Rugby World Cup if revolutionary changes to eligibility laws are given the tick of approval by World Rugby later this month.

A new proposal could have major ramifications for the international game, with the World Rugby Council set to decide whether players can run out for more than one nation in the future.

Israel Folau played his last Test for the Wallabies in 2018. Credit:EPA

Current rules state that once a player has represented a country at Test level, they cannot play for another nation, even if they were born there.

There is, however, a loophole where players can transition to another Test-playing nation, but only if they have represented their new country of choice in Olympic sevens qualifying events.

One player who has done so is Lopeti Timani, the former Melbourne Rebels and Wallabies back-rower who has been named in Tonga’s Test squad for November Tests in Europe.

According to a report in the London Telegraph, World Rugby will vote later this month on a “proposal to allow players to switch nations after a stand-down period of potentially three years”.

Tevita Kuridrani and Israel Folau could be beneficiaries of a potential tweak to World Rugby eligiblity laws. Credit:Cameron Spencer

The player - or their parents - would reportedly need to have been born in the nation they want to switch to.

The hope is that Pacific island nations, such as Tonga, Fiji and Samoa, could be bolstered by homegrown stars who have already played for the likes of Australia, New Zealand or other tier-one rugby nations.

Dozens of Australian representatives have turned their back on their country of origin to chase their dream of running out for the Wallabies.

Folau last featured for the Wallabies in November 2018 before being sacked by Rugby Australia over a controversial social media post.

Taqele Naiyaravoro makes a run for the Waratahs in their 2018 Super Rugby semi-final against the Lions in Johannesburg. Credit:AP

While the chances of it coming to pass are remote, the 73-Test fullback could, in theory, play for Tonga, given his family heritage, if the new laws are approved.

World Rugby will vote on the rule change on November 24; three years to the day since Folau’s final Test against England at Twickenham. Folau is in Japan, about to begin pre-season with his new franchise NTT Communications under former Waratahs coach Rob Penney.

Tongan coach Toutai Kefu, the former Wallabies No.8, told the Herald in June 2019, shortly after Folau’s sacking, that the door wasn’t completely closed.

“We’d love to have him … the next World Cup he’d be available for us hopefully,” Kefu said. “It’s a long time away ... and we don’t even know if he’s going to play again.”

The tweak could give others greater flexibility, such as 61-Test centre Tevita Kuridrani, who played for the Wallabies at the 2015 and 2019 World Cups.

Kuridrani could be eligible for Fiji in 2022, having last run out for the Wallabies in 2019.

Henry Speight, Sefa Naivalu and Taqele Naiyaravoro could all switch allegiances to Fiji, who face the Wallabies in the pool stages of the 2023 tournament.

All Blacks star Charles Piutau could represent Tonga as soon as next year and so could Mako and Billy Vunipola in 2024 if they continue to not be picked for England.

Peter Harding, chief executive of the Tongan Rugby Union, told the Telegraph the rule change would make a big difference.

“This would be a game-changer if we can get some of those players back,” Harding said. “How many Tongans have gone overseas, get paid to sit out for a couple of years and then represent another country through the residency rule?

“That would be a sensible way of not even levelling the ledger but just giving us a chance. We can’t compete with other countries with the resources they can throw around. We are a country with 100,000 people so getting a little bit of help in competing is not too much to ask.”

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