Sullivan falls victim to new scrutiny

The Tri-Nations “Grannygate” affair has encouraged Ireland to be more diligent in scrutinising player eligibility.

Australian-born winger Damien Blanch will make his Ireland debut in Sunday’s World Cup qualifier against Lebanon in Dublin but Warrington’s former Cronulla half-back Michael Sullivan has been ruled ineligible.

While Blanch, who moved from Castleford to Widnes earlier this year, qualifies through his Belfast grandparents, Sullivan has to go back three generations for his Irish heritage.

Queenslander Nathan Fien was thrown out of the Tri-Nations tournament and New Zealand were docked two points because the player only qualified through a great-grandmother.

Ireland coach Andy Kelly insists that all birth certificates are checked to ensure there is no breach of the rules.

“It is something we try to guard against,” he said. “There have been one or two players we have reluctantly had to let go.

“If we were tempted to bend or break rules then Mick Sullivan would maybe have been one of the players we would have gone out of our way to do that for.

“Unfortunately, his was a great-grandparent entitlement and we stood our ground.”