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England's Marler calls for changes to RFU rule and offers alternative
By Josh Raisey
England loosehead prop Joe Marler has called for the RFU to “lift” the current policy of not selecting any players that are based abroad.
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The 93-cap England international took to X on Tuesday to voice his opinion shortly after RFU chief Bill Sweeney confirmed that England will not budge on the current policy.
“Lift the bloody oversees ban!” the 33-year-old wrote online, before suggesting the RFU implement a minimum cap rule to allow established England internationals to play outside of the Gallagher Premiership. Such a rule would likely allow the 112-cap Owen Farrell and the 60-cap Manu Tuilagi, both set to move to the Top 14 at the end of the season, to continue to be selected by Steve Borthwick in the future.
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This opinion has been well received online, with the majority of comments being in favour of scrapping the current policy, although there are some that have posited that allowing English players to move abroad could have catastrophic effects on the Premiership as a product.
Indeed, even the minimum cap rule that Marler is proposing is not wholly supported by nations that have adopted it. Wales hooker Dewi Lake recently questioned the 25-cap threshold that they have in place. It goes to show that the majority of systems that unions use will inevitably have negative ramifications and critics.
Lift the bloody oversees ban! Get a “minimum cap rule” in place and let the boys play! 🤪
— Joe Marler (@JoeMarler) April 9, 2024
Sweeney’s reasoning for keeping the current policy is that there is a “performance advantage to having those players based in your own country”. He used the All Blacks, Ireland and France – three of the top four teams in the world – as teams that have the same approach, while conceding that the world champions South Africa are the “obvious outlier”.
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The RFU has faced plenty of criticism before over this policy, but seldom from a current England international. Marler played in all five matches of England’s Guinness Six Nations campaign this year and seems very much part of Borthwick’s plans currently.
While comments like these will not be what the RFU want to see, it is unlikely Marler’s chances of being selected will be hampered. It does provide an insight into what the current squad may feel about the rule though.
England had all their stars (leaving and staying) available and playing together since the semi-final in Japan in 2019. So what? Their first real play of this level came against Ireland this year. I don't think the problem was really identified yet.
I agree with Marler. I think these kinds of eligibility bans are silly.
But secretly I don’t want them to lift the bans. Because then the teams will be copying the Boks (again) and taking away something that gives them an edge. Teehee.
But seriously though. Marler is 33 he should stay out of the politics here and focus on his training and physical upkeep. Mitigate the decline that starts once you turn 32.
An issue is also the England coaches ignoring potential international players who then get so fed up that they find a distant relative and go off to play for Scotland mainly (many English born and bred players) and Wales. Get the coaches to wake up.