Religion and Ethics Forum

General Category => Sports, Hobbies & Interests => Topic started by: Nearly Sane on December 12, 2023, 05:57:30 PM

Title: Henry Arundell: wing absent from England duty until 2026 after new Racing deal
Post by: Nearly Sane on December 12, 2023, 05:57:30 PM
Interesting if the rule will remain.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/67695323
Title: Re: Henry Arundell: wing absent from England duty until 2026 after new Racing deal
Post by: ProfessorDavey on December 12, 2023, 06:09:42 PM
Interesting if the rule will remain.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/67695323
Really daft policy.

You want your best players playing for the best against the best at club level regardless of where those clubs are based. To restrict selection to players who play for clubs in the country of their international team is just nuts. Imagine if this applied in football - no Messi for Argentina as he spent his entire career from the age of 13 playing outside of Argentina.
Title: Re: Henry Arundell: wing absent from England duty until 2026 after new Racing deal
Post by: jeremyp on December 12, 2023, 08:27:02 PM
Really daft policy.

You want your best players playing for the best against the best at club level regardless of where those clubs are based. To restrict selection to players who play for clubs in the country of their international team is just nuts. Imagine if this applied in football - no Messi for Argentina as he spent his entire career from the age of 13 playing outside of Argentina.

It's especially nuts when you consider that the top tier of clubs in England are subject to a salary cap. A top or potentially top English player has to choose between earning a good living for the ten or fifteen years of their playing career or playing for England.
Title: Re: Henry Arundell: wing absent from England duty until 2026 after new Racing deal
Post by: ProfessorDavey on December 13, 2023, 11:20:49 AM
It's especially nuts when you consider that the top tier of clubs in England are subject to a salary cap. A top or potentially top English player has to choose between earning a good living for the ten or fifteen years of their playing career or playing for England.
Absolutely - it really isn't reasonable to expect a professional to have to make a choice between earning a decent living at a top club or playing for their country.

And I really don't understand how this helps England - interesting that repeat world champions South Africa only had 17 of their squad of 35 playing for clubs in South Africa. The remainder scattered through clubs in France, Ireland, England and Japan. In doing so I image their players have a broader understanding of the different tactics adopted by different countries and are able to apply them better themselves or defend against them better. By contrast only 4 of the England squad played their club rugby elsewhere (all in France) and the perennial under-achievers Ireland had a squad based exclusively in Irish clubs.

I think there is a lot to be said for having an international team containing players with experience of playing at club level in a range of different countries.