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Wales seeks Australian center Jones-Hughes

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Posted: Thursday April 29, 1999 12:59 PM

Jason Jones-Hughes: "Big changes are happening in Welsh rugby and the opportunity is very exciting." Jamie McDonald/Allsport

SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) -- Wales has asked center Jason Jones-Hughes, one of Australia's best young rugby players, to represent them at this year's World Cup.

Jones-Hughes said Thursday he had been asked by Wales's New Zealand coach Graham Henry to play for the host country at the World Cup in October and November.

Jones-Hughes, who is eligible to play for Wales because his father Glynne is Welsh, told Sydney's Daily Telegraph that he was considering the offer even if meant turning his back on Australia.

"Big changes are happening in Welsh rugby and the opportunity is very exciting," Jones-Hughes said.

"Graham initially approached me about joining Cardiff and the offer to play for Wales came only recently.

"My first priority is still to play for the Wallabies but obviously I have to keep my options open."

An Australian Rugby Union (ARU) spokesman said the ARU would be powerless to stop the 22-year-old from joining Wales because of his parentage and the fact that he has not represented Australia at international level even though he toured Argentina with the Wallabies in 1997.

However, under International Rugby Board (IRB) regulations, Jones-Hughes would not be eligible to play for Australia in the future once he had represented another country.

 

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