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I don't believe this bloke, if he is calling himself a Kiwi he should be dumped.
NSW front-rower James Tamou has fuelled the debate about Kiwis playing Origin by boldly telling other young New Zealand players: "If I can play Origin, you can too."
In a move that is certain to infuriate those who firmly believe Origin is under threat from Kiwi influence, the 23-year-old giant says he hopes he has paved the way for other young players from his homeland to follow him.
It comes as the ARL Commission searches for a solution to the growing issue about New Zealand-born players earning selection for NSW or Queensland, with the possibility of banning those who have played for the Junior Kiwis from pulling on an Origin jumper.
"I've opened something up," Tamou told The Daily Telegraph. "The New Zealand boys who might have been here since they were young might have been too scared, or too concerned about the media and hype about it, to play for NSW or Queensland. So I hope some boys might be looking at me and say, 'Well, if he did it, that's what I want to do'. I hope I might've started something there."
Having considered Auckland-born Bulldogs prop Sam Kasiano for the decider, the Maroons raised further eyebrows on this side of the Tweed when they named New Zealand-born Ben T'eo in their 20-man squad for Wednesday night's blockbuster at Suncorp Stadium.
The ARLC has intensified its search for new eligibility rules for international football in a bid to head off confusion over who can play in the domestic game's showpiece event.
It is understood ARLC director of integration and development Andrew Hill late last year attempted to convince the Rugby League International Federation into adopting international junior matches (under-20s) as a defining criteria.
In other words, those players who represented the Junior Kiwis would be banned from playing Origin and would have to play for New Zealand. Under that proposal, Tamou, Kasiano and T'eo would not be allowed to play.
NSW front-rower James Tamou has fuelled the debate about Kiwis playing Origin by boldly telling other young New Zealand players: "If I can play Origin, you can too."
In a move that is certain to infuriate those who firmly believe Origin is under threat from Kiwi influence, the 23-year-old giant says he hopes he has paved the way for other young players from his homeland to follow him.
It comes as the ARL Commission searches for a solution to the growing issue about New Zealand-born players earning selection for NSW or Queensland, with the possibility of banning those who have played for the Junior Kiwis from pulling on an Origin jumper.
"I've opened something up," Tamou told The Daily Telegraph. "The New Zealand boys who might have been here since they were young might have been too scared, or too concerned about the media and hype about it, to play for NSW or Queensland. So I hope some boys might be looking at me and say, 'Well, if he did it, that's what I want to do'. I hope I might've started something there."
Having considered Auckland-born Bulldogs prop Sam Kasiano for the decider, the Maroons raised further eyebrows on this side of the Tweed when they named New Zealand-born Ben T'eo in their 20-man squad for Wednesday night's blockbuster at Suncorp Stadium.
The ARLC has intensified its search for new eligibility rules for international football in a bid to head off confusion over who can play in the domestic game's showpiece event.
It is understood ARLC director of integration and development Andrew Hill late last year attempted to convince the Rugby League International Federation into adopting international junior matches (under-20s) as a defining criteria.
In other words, those players who represented the Junior Kiwis would be banned from playing Origin and would have to play for New Zealand. Under that proposal, Tamou, Kasiano and T'eo would not be allowed to play.