World Rugby was set to lengthen the international qualifying window to five years for players to qualify for a national union.
It had been at three years for many years, and led to the likes of Bundee Aki and James Lowe making a change from New Zealand to play for three years in Ireland and wear the green jersey.
The restrictions were set to change to five years at the end of last year but World Rugby decided to delay the move by one year.
It would now come into force at the end of this year.
The change was caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
World Rugby said due to the disruption to the international calendar caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, playing opportunities had been significantly affected across the sport’s 128 member unions.
Eligible players may have been prevented from representing a union on the basis of 36 months residency by the scheduled cut-off date, and would therefore automatically move into the 60-month requirement.
Having consulted with unions and players, it was determined it was appropriate to extend the 36 month residency requirement to the end of 2021.
The extension of a year has worked to the advantage of former Highlanders prop Craig Millar.
Millar was picked in the Japanese training squad earlier this month to prepare for a game against the British and Irish Lions in June in Edinburgh.
He only arrived in Japan to play for the Sunwolves and Panasonic for the 2018 season, and would have missed the cut-off if it had not been delayed a year.
It could have also been a blessing for Highlanders halfback Folau Fakatava, but his knee injury has scuttled his chances now.
Fakatava (21) had been in great form for the Highlanders this year, but injured his anterior cruciate ligament in the match against the Crusaders on Good Friday.
The injury has ruled him out for the rest of the
season.
He was ruled eligible to qualify for New Zealand this year.
But as he is now unable to play until next year, he will fall into the new five-year eligibility criteria, and will now not be seen in a black jersey until 2023 at the earliest.
