Australia Rallies Against French Poaching of Talented Young Players, Calls for World Rugby to Regulate Wealthy Clubs

Australia has officially raised concerns with World Rugby regarding affluent French clubs recruiting young talent after losing a key player in Reds forward Visesio Kite.

The towering 204cm, 147kg Kite made a notable impression for both Queensland and Australia at under-16s level before deciding to head to France in February, signing a contract with La Rochelle.

Another promising lock, Emmanuel Meafou, has also been snapped up and is currently performing well for the French senior team.

“This is something we’re actively discussing with World Rugby, as there is more to this than what has been reported,” said Rugby Australia chairman Daniel Herbert during a press conference announcing a loss of $36.8m at Wednesday’s annual general meeting.

“Our stance is that France, with its own capacity to develop players, should not be approaching our player agents to poach talent at such a young age.”

“Discussions at the World Rugby level are necessary to clarify what should be permissible within this market.”

“With a population of 70 million and minimal competition compared to other markets, there’s no need for them to recruit talent from elsewhere. This issue is currently under active discussion with World Rugby.”

When asked by Wide World of Sports how this matter might be enforced, Herbert responded:

“There needs to be a consensus on what is deemed acceptable and what is not. At present, it appears to be the French clubs – not the federation – collaborating directly with Australian player agents.”

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“We don’t engage in this practice, and neither do most other nations, so we’re prepared to address it with World Rugby.”

Additionally, Rugby Australia CEO Phil Waugh indicated that the prolonged process to appoint Joe Schmidt’s successor as Wallabies coach should reach a conclusion “shortly.”

“I apologise for the delays, but it’s important to make the right choice,” Waugh stated.

“The current situation is markedly different from where we stood a year ago, thanks to a careful and thorough approach to our decision-making and appointments.

“Many factors must be considered, involving not just the head coaching role of the Wallabies but also the systems and solutions necessary for Australian rugby as a whole.

“Our aim is to provide clarity for our players, fans, supporters, and the broader Australian public while we work as efficiently as possible.”

“Getting the right outcome is crucial, especially with the upcoming Rugby World Cup taking place on our home soil, and we’re optimistic about the direction we are heading and hope to provide clarity soon.”

Former Wallabies star Nathan Sharpe has taken over the role of RA president from fellow rugby legend Joe Roff.