National League caps need stricter policing

I TOTALLY agree with the comments from Martin Hothersall last week but I think we need to look at why playing budgets are so high and be honest.

Playing budgets are the biggest issue faced by RU Clubs at Level 3 and below, as ‘true’ Community Clubs struggle to survive at a certain level because the market for players is continually distorted and inflated by over financed ‘teams’ who put nothing back into the game.

This has been a problem for some time and will continue to be so if not addressed by the RFU.

Proper Community Clubs have the expense of running a rugby club with the necessary facilities for men’s and ladies’ senior teams and colts, a full compliment of mini/junior age groups and for proper engagement with the local community.

As well as this, they need to find financial support to bring together a 1st XV squad of players who can compete at a level which will attract the much-needed sponsorship to maintain the facilities and squad.

This is being made increasingly difficult as squad players are regularly tempted to consider more financially profitable deals from ‘teams’ who simply run a 1st XV, have no real overheads and exist solely for the self-centered benefit of those who choose to financially support the ‘team’ and bring short-term success. These ‘teams’ have no foundations, they give nothing back and they are not acting in the interests of the game as a whole.

It is clear that the financial activities of these ‘teams’ need to be investigated by the RFU. Playing budgets may be capped and that cap may appear to be being adhered to, but the RFU need to consider why a successful player at Level 2 would suddenly turn up at Level 4. What has attracted that player to make such a move? What may be happening outside of the cap?

In my opinion, the RFU need to properly investigate individual contracts or ‘deals’ that look suspiciously out of line and also, consider the ‘actual’ reimbursements being made to players who suddenly arrive on loan.