Donal Lenihan: Eligibility rule change could transform rugby — but be bad news for Ireland

From January next players can now represent their country of birth or that of their parents or grandparents, despite having already been capped for another country, provided a period of three years has elapsed since their last international appearance

GOOD RECRUIT: Bristol’s Charles Piutau takes on Tom Woolstencroft of Saracens during the Gallagher Premiership match at Ashton Gate. Former Ulster star Piutau is one of several former All Blacks set to boost Tonga’s ranks ahead of the 2023 World Cup in France. Picture: Dan Mullan/Getty Images

What an eventful week that proved to be. I had originally intended to focus on the impact of the South African sides playing at home in the URC for the first time but as we know by now, Omicron, the latest variant of the coronavirus, put paid to that.

From an international perspective, the biggest news to break this week and one that will prove a game-changer for the fanatical rugby playing Pacific Islands of Fiji, Tonga, and Samoa, is the decision by World Rugby to change the rules around international eligibility.