NRL TEAMS - 2024 Round 3
3 hours ago | LeagueUnlimited Media
The Rugby Football League is taking legal advice over a landmark ruling by the European Court of Justice which will wreck plans to reduce the number of overseas players in the British game. Super League clubs are in the process of bringing down the overseas quota from five to three over the next two years.
But the legality of the move is now in doubt after a test case in which a Slovakian handball player managed to overturn the German Handball Federation's implementation of a quota restricting non-EU nationals.
Since then around 100 nations have signed up to an agreement with the European Union giving their citizens the same employment rights as EU nationals.
The move means that Super League leaders Bradford Bulls' New Zealand internationals Lesley Vainikolo and Joe Vagana are now exempt from the quota, along with Marcus Bai, the Papua New Guinea Test winger who is joining Leeds from Melbourne Storm next season.
The move comes at a time when an amendment to the immigration laws allows Australian-born players to become exempt from the quota if they have an English-born mother, freeing Widnes pair Jules O'Neill and Daniel Frame from the quota.
The RFL have yet to formally accept the court's ruling, although they are expected to fall in line.
The move is a major boost for Bradford as they look to strengthen their squad for next season.
Already Robbie Paul and Tevita Vaikona are exempt from the quota because of the old five-year residency ruling, leaving Shontayne Hape as their solitary "foreigner".
Clubs agreed to bring down the quota in order to provide more opportunities for home-grown players and enlarge the pool of talent available for Great Britain.