| |
Unanimous decision ARU hope Jones-Hughes picks up career Down Under
Posted: Tuesday July 06, 1999 08:33 PM
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- The International Rugby Board (IRB) has rejected Wales' bid to have Australian Jason Jones-Hughes play in its World Cup squad, according to the Australian Rugby Union (ARU). The IRB's three-man regulations committee meeting in San Francisco has unanimously voted that Jones-Hughes cannot represent the country of his father's birth. ARU spokesman Strath Gordon said the committee ruled Jones-Hughes was ineligible for Wales because he played last year for Australian Barbarians in a match against Scotland's tourists. The IRB accepted Australia's view that the Barbarians was its second string side and also rejected an approach from Scotland which suggested its touring team was ranked lower than its top two teams. ARU chief executive John O'Neill said Australia was pleased with the decision. "We always believed it was a clear cut issue," O'Neill said. "We're extremely pleased with the ruling but feel that if Jason had been given better advice this issue would have never had to come to this. "We now hope Jason picks up his career with Australia." Jones-Hughes, who also played for a Wallaby midweek team on the 1997 tour of Argentina, refused to comment on the matter on Tuesday. He had argued prior to the committee meeting that he was unaware the Barbarians was the official Australian second XV, as the IRB ruled. Last week Wallaby coach Rod Macqueen said Australia could not afford to lose Jones-Hughes, whom he rated third among the country's outside centers behind test incumbent Daniel Herbert and Jason Little.
| |||||||||||||||||
Copyright © 1999 CNN/SI. A Time Warner Company. Terms under which this service is provided to you.
| |||||||||||||||||
