Dave wrote:pip14 wrote:Irrelevant question but like this year, next year, Leinster are only allowed to have 2 of Gibson Park, Fardy and Lowe allowed to play in HC. Does that mean we can only have 2 of Coetzee, Faddes and Carter??
Coetzee isn't included in that. Under the Kolpack agreement, Saffers have the same rights as those from EU countries regarding work and movement. This looks likely to end following withdrawal from the EU.
The 2 "non-European" rule isn't actually strictly about EU rules although it does incorporate them within the definition.
I contacted EPCR about the exact definition of "European" and it's much looser than you'd think. It incorporates the EU/Kolpak rulings so that anyone who is eligible to play for an EU or Kolpak country is considered European. But the definition of "European" also includes anyone entitled to play for a union that is affiliated to Rugby Europe. This is how the Russian and Georgian teams fit in without a separate rule for them. Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland are all members of Rugby Europe so Brexit won't have any impact on that rule.
"Thank you for your email.
To clarify, all matchday squads must be compliant with the regulation on the basis that the definition of 'European' as defined by the Cotonou Agreement is as shown below which is a treaty signed by the European Union and therefore, not defined by EPCR unilaterally. That definition is below:
A European player is…
A national of:
1. a Member State of the European Union, or the European Economic Area, or of a state with which the European Community has entered into an agreement that includes directly effective provisions conferring equivalent rights of non-discrimination against that state's nationals within the European Union. Usually, all players except Australians, New Zealanders, and North and South Americans (however, many of these players qualify through points 2 and 4 below).
2. See Cotonou Agreement between EU and African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (78 countries) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cotonou_Agreement
3. a state whose national rugby union or federation is a member of Rugby Europe, or
4. has completed 36 consecutive months of residence in the country of the Union which has jurisdiction over his club, or
5. pursuant to Regulation 8 of World Rugby regulation, is eligible to play for the senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team, the next senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team or the senior National Representative Sevens Team (as those terms are used in those regulations) of a Union or federation that is a member of Rugby Europe.
We hope that you enjoy the weekend of European club rugby
EPCR Communications team"