EXPLANATORY GUIDELINES REGULATION 8 EXPLANATORY GUIDELINES ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF REGULATION 8 ELIGIBILITY TO PLAY FOR NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVE TEAMS Following its deliberations on the question of Player eligibility, the Working Party has produced these Explanatory Guidelines on the implementation of Regulation 8. These Explanatory Guidelines must be read in conjunction with the terms of Regulation 8. 1. What is the Rationale/Philosophy of Regulation 8? The rationale/philosophy of Regulation 8 is to ensure that Players selected to represent either the senior and next senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Teams of a Union or a Union’s senior National Representative Sevens Team have a genuine, close, credible and established national link with the country of the Union for which they have been selected. Such a national link is essential to maintain the unique characteristics and culture of elite international sporting competition between Unions. The integrity of International Matches between Unions depends upon strict adherence to the eligibility criteria set out in the Regulations. 2. Who establishes the eligibility criteria in Rugby Union? World Rugby will continue to establish the criteria by reference to which a Player’s eligibility to play for the senior or next senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team of a Union or a Union’s senior National Representative Sevens Team will be determined. Citizenship of a country and/or whether a Player holds a passport of a particular country are not, of themselves, determinative in identifying which Union a Player is eligible to represent. This will be determined solely in accordance with World Rugby’s eligibility criteria. In relation to Olympic eligibility criteria see the Explanatory Guidelines on the Implementation of Regulation 8 – Olympic Eligibility. 3. What is the eligibility criteria in Rugby Union? The existing World Rugby eligibility criteria set out in Regulation 8.1 will be maintained. This is based on the following: (a) The country in which the Player was born; or (b) The country in which one parent or grandparent of the Player was born; or (c) The country in which the Player has completed thirty-six consecutive months of Residence immediately preceding the time of playing. Residence means the place or location in which a Player has his primary and permanent home and Resident shall be construed accordingly; and Last update: 14 January, 2015 138
World Rugby Handbook
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