Ker Barlow with Australia? ‘Unfair’, says New Zealand coach

New Zealand coach Ian Foster will not find “it is not fairThat former All Black Tawera Kerr-Barlow could play for AustraliaEven if the rules are the rules and right thereHe said on Thursday.

This change in international allegiance,”It doesn’t seem fair to me, but rules are rules, and there are rightsFoster said of a player he had for six years as an assistant coach for the All Blacks.

The La Rochelle scrum-half wore the All Blacks jersey 27 times between 2012 and 2017.

Melbourne-born Keir Barlow recently said he wants to take advantage of the relaxed eligibility rules to represent his country of origin. The 32-year-old told France’s Rugbyrama that he feels close to Australia:I am available to play for the Wallabies team. I was born there. I have a lot of relations with this country, and if they call me, I will go without hesitation“.

The rules about changing sports nationality have been relaxed this year by World Rugby: Players can change the national team, after 36 months of inactivity at international level, if they were born in the country they want to play in or if they have a parent or grandparent there. Prior to that, players were associated with a national team all their careers.

Although annoyed, Foster noted that he was only wearingno judgmentConcerning Keir Barlow’s intentions:All I know is the beauty he brought to the All Blacks. He’s a good guy and a quality rugby player“.

Tawera Ker Barlow, who has worn the colors of French club La Rochelle since 2018, left Australia for New Zealand at the age of 13.