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With more top English rugby talent looking across the channel to opportunities in France, Rugby Rugby’s Howard Johnson sees a trend that will change French rugby but it is hard to tell if it will be a positive or negative.  Have your say.
 
By Howard Johnson

Well it looks like I’m about to become a whole lot less lonely in my work here in France, now that the English rugby invasion is well and truly underway. The news that London Wasps have lost three of their key players to French outfits has only served to stoke the fires of speculation as to just how many players holding the same passport as I do will be pitching up to continue their careers across the channel.
 
While the news over here is full of talk of ex-pats, particularly those on fixed UK incomes, being forced to up sticks and head home as the pound shrinks alarmingly in value, rugby is one industry that’s bucking the trend. Violently. James Haskell, Tom Palmer and Ricky Flutey are the first three out of the starting blocks since the new economic order has started to bite. But it doesn’t take a genius to work out that they won’t be the last. With talk over here of players being able to sign for a French club and double their English salaries in one fell swoop players will be sorely, sorely tempted to take a punt on the Top 14. James Haskell was at pains to point out that he was moving to Stade Francais primarily for rugby reasons. This caused me to spit out my coffee as I listened to his comments, though maybe that’s simply because I’m way too cynical.
 
French rugby fans may also be scratching their heads in wonder at this predicted ‘British Invasion’. After all, it’s not just the big names they know that are signing up. This much was clearly evident when Midi Olympique referred to Tom Palmer as Scott Palmer. And I highly doubt whether Toulon’s faithful will ever have heard of Joe El Abd, who has agreed to sign for the club from Bristol on the condition that Toulon are still in the French Top Flight next season.
 
But the list of English names now being touted as serious recruitment targets for French clubs will no doubt make Rob Andrew’s hair turn white.  According to the French media Jamie Noon, Iain Balshaw, Shane Geraghty and even Jonny Wilkinson have all had serious contact with operations over this side of the channel of late with a view to making the switch.
 
Of course there are those over here who will be horrified by yet another invasion at a time when the arrival of foreign players is already under the microscope. The inability of emerging French players to get quality game time in their clubs is for many the reason why the French national side has been struggling of late. The problem – as was the case in England and which in the end forced a radical solution – is that the needs of the clubs and the needs of the national team are rarely the same. Clubs want the best players at prices they consider to be acceptable regardless of what passport they hold. They’re running a results-orientated business. They will doubtless understand that a strong national side and a financially secure federation filtering money down through the game is important to their future evolution, of course. But the question really boils down to a question of whether they prefer jam today or jam tomorrow. And we know what a sweet tooth most of us have now, don’t we?

HAVE YOUR SAY...
What will a British Invasion mean to French rugby?  Will the Top 14 be the top European league?  What will happen to the level of play for the French national team? Send your opinions to Rugby Rugby by CLICKING HERE.

This article first appeared in Rugby Times and is re-printed with permission from the magazine.