KEY POINTS:
It was labelled one of international league's darkest days as the Rugby League International Federation yesterday stripped the Kiwis of their two Tri-Nations points and barred Nathan Fien from the rest of the tournament.
RLIF and Australian Rugby League chairman Colin Love announced the penalty at a Sydney press conference after the RLIF executive committee ruled Australian-born Fien was ineligible.
Love said the New Zealand Rugby League was aware on October 19 that the hooker's great-grandmother, not grandmother as had previously been claimed, was born in Wanganui but didn't tell the ARL when it queried Fien's selection.
The Kiwis lose their two points from their 18-14 win over Great Britain last Saturday but the points weren't awarded to the Lions. Both teams' points scored have also been expunged from the tournament's for-and-against records.
In a statement last night the NZRL said it accepted the decision.
"The NZRL regrets the error it made and sincerely apologises to all the players, teams, fans, clubs and stakeholders. The NZRL accepts it made an error.
"Nathan Fien acted honestly at all times in his disclosures to the NZRL.
"Accordingly, Nathan Fien had no charge to answer; nor did any other person."
The NZRL confirmed it would not challenge the decision.
Fien, who becomes eligible in October next year through his three-year Auckland residency, left the Kiwis squad yesterday and was understood to be heading to Australia.
"It's just terribly disappointing," Love said. "The game is based on trust between the nations and we've acted accordingly.
"We're told they acted in good faith, but it was never communicated to us that it was Fien's great-grandmother and not his grandmother who was born in New Zealand."
Asked if he could remember a darker day in the sport, Love said: "I don't think I can, not since I've been involved.
"I don't know whether it's deceit. We're told that it was an honest mistake that this information wasn't communicated to us, but we're certainly disappointed."
The RLIF constitution says a player is eligible if his parents "or any of his grandparents" were born in that country.
NZRL chairman Selwyn Bennett insisted that included great-grandparents, and that was what the NZRL lawyers argued in a written submission.
Yesterday's telephone hookup, between the RLIF executive committee of Love, Bennett, Great Britain boss Richard Lewis and NRL chief executive David Gallop, spanned six hours including an adjournment for Lewis to read the NZRL submission.
Love and Lewis voted to strip the Kiwis' points while Bennett voted against. No fine was imposed.
Love said the committee had no alternative. Bennett disagreed with the decision, but he had to accept it.
Yesterday's developments mean the Kiwis can still defend their title in the November 25 final if they beat Great Britain in Wellington on November 11, and Great Britain lose both their matches to the Kangaroos.
The Kiwis arrived in Hokitika yesterday to prepare for tomorrow's game against the New Zealand Residents team in Greymouth.
- NZPA
