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'It's only a rule until two blokes decide it's not a rule... Just cut the cord'

Matt Toomua (Photo by Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images)

Japan bound Matt Toomua is calling on Australian rugby chiefs to scrap the “murky” Giteau Law restrictions on the number of overseas based players who can be picked by Dave Rennie, the Wallabies head coach.

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Currently, Rennie has just three picks per series, but the head coach has made it clear he would favour a change to give the Wallabies the widest possible range to select for the Rugby World Cup in France next year.

Toomua, who spent time at Leicester before returning to Australia, won the last of his 59 caps in August 2021 and admits the current restrictions have affected his career planning. The current president of the Australian Rugby Union Players’ Association has agreed to join a Japanese club and told the Sydney Morning Herald: “As a player, it’s quite frustrating, I signed a contract last year on the basis that the Giteau Law was in play, so you do the depth chart, you look at it and think, ‘I’ll probably be around here’. And then the rules get changed.

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“It’s only a rule until two blokes decide it’s not a rule, so I feel like it’s dying a bit of a slow death at the moment.

“Let it go, let the costs go, some other young kid is going to shine, be the face of the game, and we’ll still have our international stars playing for Australia, and we’re not crippling ourselves by not having all of them.

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“I’m willing to be proven wrong, but I do have an opinion on it and my opinion is let it go. Just cut the cord. The worry is if you allow [all overseas-based players] to come in and let everyone play, that the domestic tournament struggles. Well, we already have struggles at the domestic [level], so at what point do you say open it up.

“The example for me is the A-League. If you’re any good at football, you go overseas. It’s not going to be to that extent for rugby in Australia but, if it is, can you still sustain a domestic competition? The A-League would argue that you can if you promote it the right way or have some private investment, or what not.

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“Maybe we relieve a bit of the cost burden [on Rugby Australia] from the international guys and let them go. It just seems so murky.

“If we are going to be running this trickle-down economics thing, let’s not restrain the Wallabies in any way, shape or form, because that’s just silly,” he said. “If we need Rory [Arnold], we need Rory. If we need Will [Skelton], we need Will. Samu [Kerevi] – why is he not playing all the time? We can’t just have them for a two-game tour. We have to have these guys.”

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RedWarrior 2 hours ago
The reason given by Steve Borthwick for latest England setback

So England are allowed to have a tsunami whinge fest about the ref but if an Irish fan points out that some decisions hurt Ireland also they are being petulant.

Honestly some English supporters are all politeness until they lose then the claws and fangs come out.

Ok here we go, not complaints just pointing out where England got away with roul play:

1: M Smiths headbutt on James Lowe that started the fracas with Stewart. If the ref spots that in time then thats a second yellow if not a straight red for Smith. Probably worth another 14 points with England gassed so a 41-10 final scoreline?

2: Itoje's several stamps on Hansens instep in a clear attempt to damage metatarsals. Straight red or if he is lucky, 10 in the bin.

3. Currys block on Baird to create a gap that Smith used to break the line. Penalty and possession for Ireland deep in England 22 with score at 0:0.

4: The correct decision for the Cunningham South dangerous tackle was a yellow. Lowe blew it by confronting him. The ref didn't give South or Lowe a yellow. The ref couldn't give Lowe a yellow anyway as the TMO would have informed him that m Smith alone started the previosu fracas and its not unreasonable for a player to react to being headbutted.


One last thing missing from English analysis

How is coming over to Dublin acting like you own the place, committing filthy cowardly off the ball cheap shots working out for you? I mean you clearly dont care that we think your team are a crowd of a$$holes but...... rugby wise, how is riling the Irish team to focus and get the best out of themselves against such unpleasant opposition working for you on the scoreboard?


Food for thought old boy!!!!

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