The current buzz words coming out of RFU headquarters are "central management". In return for a reported £5-£6 million pounds the England management will take control of the elite players for almost half the season, and for the other half they will still be able to dictate when and where they play. There is also the suggestion of a financial reward for teams which field a greater percentage of England qualified players.
What will this do for the premiership? The salary cap will be raised and without the responsibility for the salaries of top players, clubs should have more money to spend bringing in players. They could choose to bring in quality players from overseas (Dan Carter anyone?)which would maintain or indeed raise the standard of the rugby we watch but would be expensive. Or they could concentrate on young England qualified players who would cost less in terms of salary and at the same time earn bonus payments from the RFU. But wait, aren't these the same young players we can watch in the A League already? And for a lot less money?
If the clubs take this route how will they persuade supporters to pay the same price to watch what might be largely a youth team? How many supporters will be lost when the big names are absent for so long? This plan may be good for England, financially it may even be good for the clubs but will it be good for the supporters. As a friend said today "I don't come to watch the balance sheet, I come to watch the best players".
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