Rugby Australia accuses France of ‘poaching’ younger players

The move follows Top 14 club La Rochelle signing 16-year-old Queensland forward Visesio Kite earlier this year, with reports of 17-year-old rising star Heinz Lemoto also being courted by French teams.

Calls for clarity of rules

“Our view is that France has the ability to produce its own players. They don’t have to poach our players at a very young age,” Rugby Australia’s chairman Daniel Herbert told media on Thursday.

He called for urgent clarity about what is permitted by the governing body’s rules.

“There has to be a coming together on what is allowed and what isn’t allowed,” he said, adding that there are more cases than those publicly reported.

No poaching of underage players

A Sydney Morning Herald report said several international unions have called on World Rugby to strengthen regulations over the issue.

The governing body’s current rules prohibit unauthorized poaching of underage players across unions, mandating sanctions for violations.

Herbert emphasized that it is the French clubs, and not their national federation, who are to blame. “They’re working directly with player agents here,” he said.

“We don’t do it, most other countries don’t do it, and so it’s something that we’ll take up with World Rugby.”