Rikki Flutey (above) who recently announced his transfer to France.

The game of Rugby Union as fans know it will be gone forever unless Premiership Rugby and the RFU do something now to stop the wholesale loss of the nation’s top players to the French League. This is highlighted by the transfers of three top players from Wasps in the last few days to two French clubs. While I understand the need for the players to maximise their earning potential in a short lived career at the top flight, one has to question the decision to have a blanket salary cap in the premiership.

This is one of the reasons why the players are being attracted by the French clubs. It will also, potentially, reek hovoc with Martin Johnson’s plans to get his squad together for a decent length of time prior to international matches. The other issue, of course, is the short changing of the long suffering paying fans who ultimately will have a poorer grade of rugby to watch every week.

Perhaps the RFU should follow other home unions and make it clear that unless a player is playing in this country, he will not qualify to play for England. One wonders what the response to that would be from our money seeking elite?