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SYDNEY - Former Kangaroos league internationals are in a lather over Australian schoolboys players eyeing spots in the Kiwis test side.
With the Nathan Fien eligibility saga still fresh in the mind, more transtasman tugs-of-war are set to follow after rising star Liam Foran confirmed he is chasing a spot in the Kiwis as the retired Stacey Jones' long-term replacement at halfback.
Foran, 17, is on tour in Britain with the Australian schoolboys team and is rising up the ranks at the Melbourne Storm National Rugby League club.
"My ultimate goal is to play with New Zealand at the highest level," Foran told Sydney's Sun-Herald newspaper.
"I moved to Australia when I was 10 but my family and my heart is with New Zealand.
"Stacey Jones is my idol and I would love to take over from him in a halves spot."
Should he make the Kiwis, Foran would follow in the sprig marks of Benji Marshall, Nathan Cayless, Ben Roberts and Tony Puletua as Australian schoolboys representatives to switch allegiance.
Foran has already caught the eye of the Kiwis coaching staff with his reserve grade performances for North Sydney and will be watched closely as he nears a first-grade debut with Melbourne.
"We've heard about the young Foran boy and I hope he grabs every opportunity and grabs a leaf out of Blairy's book [Storm prop and Kiwis debutant Adam Blair]. Let's hope he has a big year," Kiwis coach Brian McClennan said.
But former Kangaroos Brett Kenny and Mark Geyer are angry that promising Australian players are having their spots taken by Kiwis.
The well-publicised and relaxed eligibility rules state a player can represent the birth country of his parents or grandparents or switch over after three years of residency in that country.
"It's about time they got this thing sorted out," Kenny said.
"If you have New Zealand heritage and you want to play for New Zealand, that's fine, but those young guys should not be picked for the Australian schoolboys side."
Geyer was typically outspoken.
"We shouldn't be nurturing their kids and giving them a leg-up so that they can boot our arses in five years.
"If you decide at an early age that you want to play for the Kiwis, why are you playing for the [Australian] schoolboys?"
- NZPA
