Wallabies star Quade Cooper has revealed his desire to represent the Māori All Blacks still burns strong, but is unsure if the opportunity will ever come.
The NZ-born playmaker moved to Australia as a 13-year-old and has since been capped 76 times by Australia, amassing more than100 Super Rugby for the Reds.
But the Tokoroa native (Ngāpuhi) would love the opportunity to represent his heritage, and has called for World Rugby to follow league's example and further relax their eligibility rules.
World Rugby recently changed their laws, allowing players to represent a second country, providing they meet the eligibility criteria and three-year stand-down period.
Cooper, 34, has previously expressed interest in playing for the Māori All Blacks in 2018 and admits he still harbours those same aspirations.
"I have no idea about the criteria and stuff like that, but I think that it should be encouraged for more people, more players around the world to be able to represent their heritage and their culture," he told AM.
"For me, it's more being able to represent my culture and if that was a possibility, then for sure, I'd definitely do that.
"I love rugby league. They allow people, especially of Polynesian heritage, to be able to go back and represent those countries, because they try to grow the game on a larger scale.
"They've relaxed the rules a little bit at World Rugby by allowing guys 3-5 years out of playing for their representative countries.
"For example, you've got Israel Folau, Charles Piatau and Malakai Fekitoa going back and representing Tonga, but they've got to jump through a few hoopes to have the opportunity to do that."
Cooper is racing against time to prove his fitness for Wallabies coach Dave Rennie's squad for the World Cup in France next year.
He ruptured his Achilles tendon against Argentina in August, but is confident he will be back up and running for his Japanese team Hanazono Liners by February.
"It's good," he said. "I'll be heading off to training soon and I've been very fortunate having a great setup for rehab over here with the Queensland Academy of Sport.
"They've put together a team that's helping myself and Samu Kerevi. It is a little bit of a long journey, but I feel that it's an easy one at that.
"I think that'll be around February, that will be the timeframe that I will be able to come back, but for me, it's not about rushing out.
"I'm sort of using that date as a guideline. If it's before that or after that, I'm not too fussed.
"I know I will be able to get back around that time, which will give me the backend of our Japanese season and give me a good opportunity to put my hand up for the World Cup squad.
"The World Cup will be nice, especially at my age, being able to be part of that, and I've really enjoyed my time in and around this young Wallabies team."