JAPAN’S 36-man tour party for their July matches against the Lions in Edinburgh, and Ireland in Dublin, provides an insight into where World Rugby has got its international eligibility regulations hopelessly twisted. This squad of Japan’s ‘rising sons’ named by their Kiwi coach, Jamie Joseph, features 19 foreign-born players – more than half the squad.
It would be wrong to single out Joseph for the Japanese policy, because as national coach he is paid to get results, and will use as much rope to bring in overseas players as he is given.
The real culprits are the Japan Rugby Union and World ...