Rhino is a Pom???

[Golden]

Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens has warned the New South Wales State of Origin camp it is in danger of losing Chris Heighington if the Blues don’t give the star back-rower a run.

Heighington was the star of a dramatic Tigers’ come-from-behind 18-8 win over Canberra at a packed Leichhardt Oval on Sunday.

And Sheens revealed the busy forward is considering taking up an offer to play for Great Britain as he owns a British passport.

"They will lose him to the Poms if they don’t give him a go," Sheens cautioned.

"He is too good a player not to come into consideration for Origin."

Hooker Robbie Farah, himself snubbed by NSW selectors, added: "Chris isn’t getting an opportunity here so you couldn’t blame him (for looking to England)."

"He has been our best player for the past two years."

The Tigers trailed 8-6 late in a thrilling clash before over 19,000 fans at their Leichhardt field of dreams before snatching victory with two late tries.

"That was our most disappointing loss of the year," a shattered Canberra coach David Furner said.

"We had our chances but couldn’t quite make them count – we got over the line three times and were denied tries."

Sheens has told his players they must lift their game to have any hope of beating premiership pacesetters St George Illawarra next Friday night.

"We have won four in a row but did it tough today," Sheens said.

"We created plenty of chances but our finishing was poor.

"Fortunately our scrambling defence kept us in the hunt but we will need to go a lot better on Friday night or the Dragons will blow us off the park

 

[Yossarian]

He's going much better than Nathan Hindmarsh and is going to around a lot longer.

 

[benjibrotown]

Glad to read this article, means that either way Rhino will be playing rep footy this year. He deserves it more then anyone, dont know what the Tigers would do without him.

 

[Chris]

I would have been really dirty if he took up Bennetts offer to go to the Dragons. Could have been another Laffranchi, leave the Tigers and gets a start with NSW.

 

[westTAHger]

be interesting to see if Hino does not get picked to play origin, what his next move will be.
.
the selectors probably will call his bluff, and see if he does offer to play for the poms.
.
if he does, good on him, he can't wait around for-ever, hoping for a chance he may never get, to due out of touch selectors.

 

[Juro]

It is very sad that players see State of Origin as the pinnacle of rugby league. Surely playing for your country has to be higher than playing against your state. If more players saw it this way, less would choose to be eligible for Australia, and international rugby league would be a lot more even, therefore becoming the pinnacle!

 

[Tiger_Watto]

There you go… It somewhat explains his workrate.

Rhino, Ellis and Flano all work very hard. Geez, after yesterday's game, I dont think Flanagan realises he is only 90kgs. He runs in like a frontrower sometimes...

Hope we buy a few more Poms!!!

 

[TheSunTanSuperman]

I would have been really dirty if he took up Bennetts offer to go to the Dragons. Could have been another Laffranchi, leave the Tigers and gets a start with NSW.

He'd be in the test side by now if he'd gone, ditto for Farah re. NSW is he'd gone to the Titans.

Michael Weyman is the epitome of Dragon players getting preferential treatment. September 2008 is playing QLD cup, 8 months later is in the NSW side.

 

[IronTiger]

Sorry can someone tell me why he can't play for England and State of Origin? Surely STATE of Origin is the clue here and if he played his STATE football in NSW STATE why does it matter what COUNTRY he plays for when it's STATE of Origin?

QLD are happy to play the splitter Falou (spelling?) who is going a completely different code and we are going to stop someone playing RUGBY LEAGUE because he wishes to play RUGBY LEAGUE for a different country.

FYI I will lay money the AFL splitter plays in the 4 Nations….

Madness!!!

 

[Raptor]

I cant see why he cant play for England NSW I mean Adrian Lam played for Qld and PNG

 

[red_dogg]

i think if you choose state of origin it means your australian, it is like the moi moi not being able to play for nz in the world cup cause he play for tonga the yr before, there is a 2yr loyalty period.

 

[Suzie-Q]

Didn't Farah play for Lebanon and NSW?

 

[Balmain_Tiger]

Didn't Farah play for Lebanon and NSW?

theres some ridiculous 3 year inbetween playing for another country after origin i think

 

[Balmain_Tiger]

produce an all pom 11/12/13?

Flannagan
Ellis
Heighington

i cant recall any other team having something similiar?

 

[palms]

Also the countries mentioned above are all developing nations eg Lebanon, PNG and Tonga so I think it would be quite different then playing for a more developed league nation such as England/NZ and then putting your hand up for Origin in the same year.

 

[innsaneink]

Sorry can someone tell me why he can't play for England and State of Origin? Surely STATE of Origin is the clue here and if he played his STATE football in NSW STATE why does it matter what COUNTRY he plays for when it's STATE of Origin?

QLD are happy to play the splitter Falou (spelling?) who is going a completely different code and we are going to stop someone playing RUGBY LEAGUE because he wishes to play RUGBY LEAGUE for a different country.

<big>**FYI I will lay money the AFL splitter plays in the 4 Nations….**</big>

Madness!!!

I'll have a piece of that.
How much?

 

[coop]

Folau is no chance of playing an international before he flounces off to play AFL.

Queensland should never have been allowed to pick him after the announcement.

 

[Enfield_Feds]

Get off the grass guys.

He's a fantastic 1st grader, but no way known to man is he up to SOO level. He's a work horse and that's his lot in life. Does no damage in either attack or defence, rarely if ever makes a line break, rarely if ever gets an off load away, rarely if ever puts on a big hit.

He is a worker…plain and simple and NSW dont need more blokes like him in the team.