Peter Walton (rugby union) explained

Peter Walton
Birth Name:Peter Walton
Birth Date:3 June 1969
Birth Place:Alnwick, England
Weight:109kg (240lb)
Ru Position:Flanker
Amatyears1:1988 - 1991
Amatyears2:1992
Amatyears3:1993 - 1995
Amatyears4:1995 - 2000
Amatteam1:Alnwick RFC
Amatteam2:Newcastle Gosforth
Amatteam3:Northampton Saints
Amatteam4:Newcastle Falcons
Repteam1:Scotland
Repyears1:1994 - 1999
Repcaps1:24
Reppoints1:20
Coachteams2:England U18 Assistant Coach
Coachyears1:2000 - 2008
Coachyears2:2008 -
Spouse:Diana
Children:Jack & Lucy
School:Merchiston Castle School
Royal Agricultural College

Peter Walton (born 3 June 1969)[1] is an English-born rugby union player who won 24 caps playing in the back-row for the Scottish rugby union side between 1994 and 1999, despite uncertainty as to whether he was eligible for Scotland, given a lack of Scottish ancestry. He was educated at Merchiston Castle School, and played club rugby for both Northampton Saints and Newcastle Falcons. At Newcastle he made 15 appearances as they won the 1997-98 Premiership.[2] He was forced to retire due to injury in June 2000. He was assistant coach, Academy Coach and Head for Newcastle Falcons between 2000 and 2008. Since 2008 he has been Assistant Coach with England U18 during which they won three consecutive Grand Slams and had a sequence of 19 victories.[3]

International selection

Under World Rugby rules, the clauses in Regulation 8, Guideline 17 can be taken to pertain to international eligibility in schooling cases.

Regulation 8 on international eligibility is clarified under Guideline 17.[4] The specific 'schooling' clauses state:
For the avoidance of any doubt, seeking to rely on shortperiods of Residence as a child in a particular country, combined with ashort period of Residence in that same country prior to playing for aUnion, is likely to create a link that would be too tenuous to satisfy theunderlying intentions of establishing a contemporary, permanent, nationallink with a Union.
However, each case will be assessed on its overallmerits to establish if a Player is able to demonstrate a genuine, close,credible and established national link by reference to the amount of timethe Player can demonstrate that he has treated the "new" country as hishome and other relevant factors.

Walton spent 7 years in Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh. He played for and captained Scottish Schoolboys in Rugby. However he was initially told that this would not be enough for play for Scotland internationally so then played for England Under 19s. Walton states he felt Scottish and that the English players called him 'Jock'.[5]

He was then selected by Scotland on the basis that his 7 years schooling in Scotland gave him a genuine and credible link to the nation.[6] At the time he was living in England but he was available to capped as the clauses above do not mention immediacy.

The Home Nations have since agreed that 5 years schooling is enough to provide a genuine and credible link to allow international selection in international football[7] and this has been approved by FIFA.[8] World Rugby still assess each case on their individual merits and the demonstration of a genuine, close, credible and established national link is key.

Notes and References

  1. http://www.espnscrum.com/scotland/rugby/player/11690.html Peter Walton player profile
  2. News: Allied Dunbar Premiership, 1997/98 / Newcastle Falcons / Player records. espnscrum.com. 7 September 2014.
  3. http://www.rfu.com/squadsandplayers/coaches/peterwalton RFU Coaches Profile
  4. Web site: World Rugby Handbook. worldrugby.org.
  5. Web site: Face to face: Peter Walton. journallive Administrator. 24 January 2006. journallive.
  6. Web site: Shingler's twist: Scotland has had its fair share of rows in a sport beset by international eligibility issues. The Herald. Glasgow.
  7. Web site: English-born Andrew Driver commits himself to Scotland. BBC.
  8. Web site: Scottish Football Association. scottishfa.co.uk.