4=. Italy – 25%
Foreign-born players: 9/36
Italy have nine foreign-born players in their wider 36-man group.
Muhamad Hasa and Ion Neculai both moved to Italy as children and were developed by the Italian rugby system.
The squad also contains three Argentina-born players in Ivan Nemer, Pablo Dimcheff and Juan Ignacio Brex.
Interestingly, Italy also have two players born in the country who were primarily developed elsewhere: Louis Lynagh and Tommaso Allan.
Foreign-born players:
- Ivan Nemer – Argentina
- Pablo Dimcheff – Argentina
- Muhamad Hasa – Albania
- Ion Neculai – Moldova
- Ross Vintcent – South Africa
- Stephen Varney – Wales
- Juan Ignacio Brex – Argentina
- Paolo Odogwu – England
- Montana Ioane – Australia
4=. Fiji – 25%
Foreign-born players: 8/32
Fiji are level with Italy, with eight of their 32 players born outside the country.
Five were born and raised in New Zealand, while the remaining three came through the rugby systems of Australia and England.
The squad also contains former All Black Pita-Gus Sowakula, who was born in Fiji before representing New Zealand and has now switched international allegiance back to his country of birth.
Foreign-born players:
- Sam Matavesi – England
- Zuriel Togiatama – New Zealand
- Tim Hoyt – England
- Isoa Nasilasila – Australia
- Sam Wye – New Zealand
- Caleb Muntz – New Zealand
- Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula – New Zealand
- Salesi Rayasi – New Zealand
2. Japan – 37.14%
Foreign-born players: 13/35
Japan have 13 foreign-born players in their Nations Championship squad.
However, the make-up of the group is more complicated than the headline number suggests.
Captain Warner Dearns moved to Japan aged 14, while Michael Leitch arrived aged 15. Both are considered products of the Japanese rugby system.
Others, including Harry Hockings, Jack Cornelsen and Dylan Riley, moved to Japan later in their careers before qualifying through residency.
Foreign-born players:
- Izi Sword – Australia
- Jack Cornelsen – Australia
- Warner Dearns – New Zealand
- Harry Hockings – Australia
- Michael Stolberg – Australia
- Esei Haangana – Australia
- Tiennan Costley – Australia
- Ben Gunter – Thailand
- Michael Leitch – New Zealand
- Waisake Raratubua – Fiji
- Dylan Riley – South Africa
- Samisoni Tua – Tonga
- Inoke Burua – Fiji
1. Scotland – 41.67%
Foreign-born players: 15/36
Scotland top the ranking, with 15 of their 36 players born outside the country.
Seven of the 22 forwards and eight of the 14 backs were born abroad.
The group includes players born in South Africa, England, Australia, New Zealand and Canada.
Captain Sione Tuipulotu was born and developed in Australia, while Jack Dempsey previously represented the Wallabies and Ben White played for England.
South Africa-born trio Pierre Schoeman, Duhan van der Merwe and Nathan McBeth all represented the country at age-grade level.
Foreign-born players:
- Nathan McBeth – South Africa
- Pierre Schoeman – South Africa
- Ewan Ashman – Canada
- Will Hurd – England
- Elliot Millar Mills – England
- Josh Bayliss – England
- Jack Dempsey – Australia
- Ben White – England
- Fergus Burke – New Zealand
- Tom Jordan – New Zealand
- Rory Hutchinson – England
- Sione Tuipulotu – Australia
- Kyle Rowe – England
- Kyle Steyn – South Africa
- Duhan van der Merwe – South Africa
Full ranking
- Argentina – 0%
- South Africa – 2.17%
- England – 8.33%
- Wales – 12.12%
- France – 13.95%
- New Zealand – 14.71%
- Ireland – 16.67%
- Australia – 18.92%
4=. Italy – 25%
4=. Fiji – 25% - Japan – 37.14%
- Scotland – 41.67%
Information and research from Americas Rugby News.
