- LONDON: England’s Rugby Football Union will emulate New Zealand and Australia by refusing to select players based at overseas clubs following the 2011 World Cup.
Stade Francais lock Tom Palmer was the only such player in England’s matchday squad for last week’s test against South Africa, but high-profile players including Jonny Wilkinson, Danny Cipriani and James Haskell also play overseas.
The RFU has written to players to inform them of a policy it hopes will boost the home side’s chances of winning the 2015 World Cup when it is hosted in England.
South Africa abandoned the policy in 2008 when the number of top players seeking lucrative contracts in Europe threatened to weaken its side.