Residency.

The residency rule has been a hot topic once again in Irish Rugby this week with Jean Kleyn named in Ireland’s 31-man Rugby World Cup squad, just weeks after becoming eligible.

Kleyn completed his three-year residency last month and will be one of the last players to qualify within that timeframe before it changes to five years in 2020.

Leinster’s James Lowe is another man who looks set to become eligible to play for Ireland, with the New Zealand winger set to become eligible next year having signed in time to be captured within the three-year rule.

But does he want to play for Ireland? Yes, but he’s not a fan of the residency rule in general.

“If I look at it, it’s a stupid [eligibility] rule, isn’t it?” Lowe said at a World Cup preview show hosted by The42

“Like … I could dig myself a big hole here, obviously.

“I would love to play international rugby, don’t get me wrong. And it would be such a privilege — such an honour — to represent Ireland. That would be awesome.

“Obviously, we’ve still got a long way to see if that’s going to happen.

“But it’s a weird rule, eh? Like, three years? It’s [moving] up to five which is probably more reasonable in a way. But it’s weird that I could be Irish, isn’t it? Like, it is weird.”

Lowe goes on to say he almost got capped by the All Blacks only to pick up an injury before his debut. Not long after Leinster came calling, and the rest, as they say, is history.