NRL legend, Andrew Johns has heavily criticized the eligibility rules in international rugby league. He said that rugby league players of Tongan heritage that are not selected to play for the Kiwis or Kangaroos, should be abe to play for Tonga immediately if they wished.

Under the current eligibility rules, an international representative who wishes to switch over to another national team must wait 2 years before doing so. According to Andrew Johns, the rules are unfair to Kiwi and Kangaroo players of Tongan heritage because if they fail to make it into the Kangaroos or Kiwis they must wait for 2 years before they can.

Andrew Johns told Australian news media, “It’s just ridiculous and it does not make any sense,”

“Players will choose Australia or New Zealand, which is fine and you can understand that if they were born or moved here at a young age— But if they choose Tonga, Samoa or Fiji and they are not picked for Australia or New Zealand, they should play for the island countries,

“Look at someone like (Tuimoala) Lolohea. If he is not playing for New Zealand then he should be playing for Tonga.That will only make the island countries stronger, especially someone like Tui who can also play in the halves. He would be so invaluable for Tonga.”

Andrew Johns recently joined the coaching staff of the Mate Ma’a Tonga this week. He will assist Mate Ma’a Tonga coach Kristian Woolf as he prepares a Tongan team for its encounter with Toa Samoa on May 7 next month.