 Bell turned down a chance to play for England A |
The International Rugby Board have confirmed that Bath prop Duncan Bell will not be able to play for Wales. The 30-year-old tight-head will only be eligible for England, having toured with them and sat on the replacements bench back in 1998.
The ex-Ebbw Vale and Pontypridd player, who lives in Wales and would qualify by residency, turned down an England A call-up in March as he targeted Wales.
The Welsh Rugby Union backed his wish, but the IRB rejected their appeal.
Bell did not win an England cap when he was a replacement in the 76-0 defeat to Australia in Brisbane six years ago, and so believed he had a strong chance of switching allegiances.
But the IRB introduced new regulations in 2000, declaring that a player selected for a tour party cannot then play for another country.
The WRU had cited the case of Steve Devine, the Australian-born scrum-half who played for New Zealand in 2002.
He had represented the Australia Sevens side in 1998, before the more stringent IRB regulations were brought in.
MMIX
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
