International Rugby
Oceania chief slams Celtic nations
ESPNscrum Staff
December 9, 2010
Clermont Auvergne scrum-half Kevin Senio on the charge during a pre-season friendly, Clermont Auvergne v Bourgoin, Nyon, July 30, 2010
Kevin Senio was left disappointed by the IRB ruling © Getty Images
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Ireland, Scotland and Wales have been accused of scuppering a proposal that could strengthen the Pacific unions.

Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions (FORU) president Harry Schuster has hit out at the Celtic nations in the wake of the International Rugby Board's refusal to alter Test match eligibility laws to allow players to represent more than one country at international level.

It was hoped that a change in regulation would allow former All Blacks and Wallabies to appear for the nation of their birth in a move that would bolster the ranks of the likes of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. But those hopes have been quashed with Schuster laying the blame at the feet of the Six Nations giants who he claims feared the prospect.

"I can't [say] how devastated and disappointed we are at this decision," he told AFP. "There are quite a number of players who will be just as gutted.

"They [Ireland, Scotland and Wales] were just looking for excuses to stop our proposal because the fact of the matter is, they are so scared of how powerful we'll become if it goes through."

Clermont Auvergne scrum-half Kevin Senio, a one-cap All Black, lamented the decision as it ended his hopes of turning out for Samoa. Other leading figures, including Ospreys flanker Jerry Collins, have been linked with Samoa while former Wallaby Lote Tuqiri was linked with Fiji.

"As a player that could have been available for Samoa I'm frustrated, the idea of playing for Samoa would've been something special," he said. "I'm keen to see it happen and will endeavour to see the rule changed even long after my playing career."

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