Worrying to see the head of strategy for England Rugby Union in the wake of their dismal showing in the World Cup saying they are going to have to re-think their player development programme and increasingly target Rugby League for more for talent. Apparently they want to get players in quickly so that they will be fully acclimatised to the game in time for the next World Cup.



With the NRL now awash with money and Union about to spend big on the best young talent SL has to offer the future of game looks particularly uncertain at the moment.

It never did Union any harm. It is up to the administrators of the sport to do something about the disparity of the media coverage of the sports. Get it played in EVERY school, get more amateur teams playing, sell out internationals instead of accepting 30,000 at Wembley.



The RFL do the bare minimum possible to keep the sport ticking over. There is no more than that and it needs to change.

Tell that to the Welsh, whose side was decimated by SL during the eighties.

Scrap the salary cap and let Warrington knock on the door harder.

?

I think once every few years we may have to batten down the hatches as the RFU look for quick-fix solutions to England's shambolic world cup performances. I suspect it will pass, but the attention of RU could do us some damage in the meantime. What's especially worrying is that it is backs who tend to make the switch, and we don't have nearly enough top class backs to supply the RL national side, never mind the England RU side as well.

No doubt they will be identifying talent as we speak aswell as agents like Offiah and the company that the Tomkins have been signed upto will be offering their talent too. Time for the top league clubs to get their heads together and quick to come up with a plan. It doesnt help when all league fans cant stick together over the issue. Warrington fans are creaming themselves at the thought of Wigan being made weaker, they dont see it as RL as a whole is getting weaker.

In the Sunday Times yesterday, Sam Tomkins was specifically mentioned as one of a "top ten" to be fast tracked through for the RWC 2015. HE was the only RL player on the list. I suspect, as Bath are about to find out with Kyle Eastmond, with the odd exception (Jason Robinson), RL backs will not save the English RU. Players like Chris Ashton are finishers, Hape was a let down, Big LES never made it in the Big Time.



The RU needs creators as they have plenty of finishers of their own. That means a stand off. To play stand off at Union is very difficult unless you have played there all your life. RL forwards are generally not suited to Union for a variety of reasons. RU flankers tend to be RL props (Apollo P and Maurie). Not many RL forwards are the required 6'5" to play in the second row or back row.



There may be the odd raid but,to as to a "pillage", I doubt it very much.

I'm not sure about employment laws as to wither this would be possible, but could a clause be put into a contract to say you are committing yourself to League, and are unable to switch codes during the contract you sign. Or, get all players to sign on a registrar with the RFL to commit themselves to playing league. That way everyone who has a passion and commitment to play league can do so and those who cannot show dedication to the sport should be allowed to leave. If you make everyone show their intentions in black and white then you will surely only have those who really want to be here playing.

Players under contract can only switch code if there is a transfer fee involved and sadly most clubs will take the inflated fees union will pay due to their own poor fianances.

Wigan don't need the money and we certainly don't want to lose Joel. But ultimately if he wishes to leave Wigan then might as well take the money on offer. There can't be anything worse than having a player at your club who doesn't want to be there.

Personally i would like to see him stay,ideally i would like to see all the young talent that teams produce stay in league,but as well all know money talks,Wigan would recieve a hefty transfer fee and no club would turn their nose up at that.Im not convinced that Joel will want to leave anyway,i think he is happy were he is and likes being in the same team as Sam and if he does stay then fair play to him and i for one would applaud his descision.