Another own goal by the RFL

[Matthew]

Rinaldi is going to be released because the RFL have decreed that French players will now be counted on the quota in the same way that Aussies are:

http://www.sportinglife.com/rugbyleague ... quins.html

So basically any surplus players that either come through the ranks at les cats (who are big fans of having Aussie players as they are immune to quota rules) will now have to find a SL club that is prepared to give them a quota spot - or else play in the lower leagues.

Surely the rules should have been extended to include players from France?

I am not an expansionist by any means - however it seems to go against the RFL's policy if they are going to make young French players count on the quota if they are not playing for les cats!

[Kittwazzer]

Nowt wrong with that. I think Wigan lads should be on the quota if they don't play for Wigan!

That way, we might end up with a decent team!!

[highland convert]

But is it legal. As an ec member he has the right to offer his labour throughout the ec. Also he is home grown. He is from a team playing superleague. The french have some good players outwith cats. Are the rfl now worried that the feeder clubs would have to include the french. Sorry but thats life. The french can no longer be looked on as distant shores. The inclusion of cats made them local.
HC

[shawcross da warrior]

bloody hell think how many quota players widnes would of had a few years back...

i remember when they had enough for a full starting line up of wiganers...

[butt monkey]

Odd move by the RFL. But doesn't suprise me.

If your trying to promote the production of French players then why do they count on the quota spot in the premier competition where they have the best chance to improve and get to a decent standard so they can compete nationally.

The only "logic" I can see from this maybe that they count on the overseas quota so that the players that Les Catalans don't "Pick" as such then stay in the French leagues and makes the French league a stronger competition? :doz:

Or maybe the likes of Rinaldi will now have to sign for Catalans and thus replace one of the many Aussies within the side? :doz:

[jaws1]

I think its a bit unfair to make French players overseas players.As Catalan is in SL an extension of the English league and trained in France and member of the EU.
If English players who went to play in Catalan would they be classed as overseas????????

[DaveO]

Surely the rules should have been extended to include players from France?

Unless the French equivalent of the RFL wanted to become part of our RFL they have to be counted as overseas players by UK clubs as they come from a different federation in the same way Aussies, Kiwi's, Samoan's and so on do. Why are they any different top players from those countries?

You have home grown players and must have a certain number of those.

Then you can have up to a certain number of Federation trained players i.e. players who started their careers at other club in your clubs federation.

Every other player who fits neither of those categories is classed as overseas.

Given Rinaldi started his career in a different federation then it seems entirely logical to me he is a quota player as France and Britain are different RL federations.

Making exceptions for the French on development grounds would mean you may as well not bother with the whole idea. Why are the French in this respect any different than say Samoa?

I think we already do enough for French RL by having Les Cats in the competition and with the invitation for a second French side to go into NL1 (which seems a thinly disguised attempt to get Toulouse ready for a franchise next time around).

The new quota rules are an attempt to look after own interests by getting more UK players playing at the highest level and you have to draw a line somewhere about helping other countries and improving your own game instead. There has already been a few players able to get around the new rules such as TL at our own club so I am glad that they are being made to stick in this case and the RFL have not caved in yet again.

Dave

[DaveO]

I think its a bit unfair to make French players overseas players.As Catalan is in SL an extension of the English league and trained in France and member of the EU.

The French RRL is not an extension of the RFL which is the important difference. If Les Cats want to play in our league they need to play by our rules.

If English players who went to play in Catalan would they be classed as overseas????????

That is an interesting question. They certainly would not be club trained (i.e. home grown to Les Cats).

It seems to me if Rinaldi started his career in France and is classed as French federation trained the implication is English federation trained players would be classed as overseas to Les Cats. But then you have to take into considered the Frnech RFL and what their rules mean (if anything at all) for Les Cats.

So I suspect Les Cats are governed entirely by SL rules so English players would indeed be classed as quota players for them by the RFL.

Dave

[cpwigan]

Does this move not strengthen the argument for a second French Club come the next round of franchises? I.E French players need a second French club to get opportunities and raise standards blah blah. Not saying I agree but just pondering how the RFL work/think.

[highland convert]

What about Scottish players playing in England. By Dave o interpretation no french player can play for cats otherwise the whole team is quota. Now we have a situation where the rules again can be changed to suit current thinking. Either it is a European league or an Engish league. They ought top make up their mind.Jim