League: NZRL to defend Fien decision

SYDNEY - The New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) has been granted a request to make a written submission supporting Nathan Fien's Kiwis eligibility before the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF) decides whether it faces penalty.

The RLIF's four-man executive committee of Australian Rugby League (ARL) chairman Colin Love, NZRL chairman Selwyn Bennett, Great Britain boss Richard Lewis and National Rugby League (NRL) chief executive David Gallop held a conference call today to discuss the issue.

The RLIF said in a statement the committee had granted the NZRL's request to put its case in writing, which must be done by 5pm (NZT) tomorrow.

The committee will meet again on Thursday morning to determine Fien's eligibility, and whether any penalty should be handed down.

Love yesterday said that could include loss of competition points or a fine.

Bennett yesterday revealed Queensland-born Fien's only Kiwis connection was through a Wanganui-born great-grandmother.

RLIF regulations state a player can only claim a family connection through "the country in which either of his parents or any of his grandparents were born".

Bennett said the NZRL's legal team would contest the words "any of his grandparents", which they took to mean great-grandparents as well.

Great Britain, who lost 14-18 to the Kiwis in Christchurch last Saturday, have called for the Kiwis to lose their two competition points from the match.

"What they've done is field an ineligible player and won a game and got points off it ... it shouldn't be ignored," Great Britain coach Brian Noble told today's Daily Telegraph newspaper in Sydney.

- NZPA