JEFF Probyn wrote in last week’s Rugby Paper about the agreement between the RFU and Premiership Rugby under which ‘the Championship cannot supply any players for the Elite Player Squad or England, no matter how good they are’.
Once Premiership Rugby has bullied the RFU into sanctioning ring-fencing, it will have achieved its aims. Ambitious clubs will not be able to reach the top. And with no proper domestic representative stage, neither will ambitious players – unless they join a Premiership club.
The stitch-up will be complete.
JEFF GAGE
via email

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