Lapasset gets strict on player movements
Another of interest from the Planet..
Lapasset gets strict on player movements
Monday 29th October 2007
Talking tough: Bernard Lapasset
Southern Hemisphere players planning to head north for financial gain have been warned by incoming International Rugby Board (IRB) chairman Bernard Lapasset that their paths may be blocked in the future.
Lapasset has threatened to bring in sweeping regulations to stop the influx of New Zealand, South African and Australian players swamping the market in Europe.
Speaking to New Zealand newspaper, the Sunday News, Lapasset said the current level of players going north must stop as it's doing no good for rugby in either hemisphere.
"The All Blacks are losing players in their prime while young talent in Europe finds it's increasingly harder to break into first teams," said Lapasset.
"It's a problem. French players aged 20 don't play in the first teams at professional tournaments and that's an issue for the French.
"We have to qualify the issue and put in place some regulations to allow players to play where they want but at the same time we have to protect the interests of the unions because it will become difficult to develop the game in England and France.
"In those two countries we have some trouble coming because we've received a lot of foreign players coming from the south or other parts of Europe.
"At the World Cup, 80 per cent of the Georgian team play in France and 70 per cent of the Romanians play in France.
"That's a very difficult problem for us and we have to put in place some regulations to control the movement of players."
With Frenchman Lapasset becoming chairman next year on January 1, replacing Syd Millar, and England's Bill Beaumont re-elected for another term as vice chairman, it continues the northern hemisphere domination of the IRB.
There is already much doubt amongst rugby supporters in the southern hemisphere about how much the IRB contributes towards the game below the north.
Lapasset has made it one of his first priorities to take a trip south to soothe people with those views.
"To be fair, the French people say the IRB is just for the English people and not for the French," he said.
"We have some difference to work through to develop the game, in Latin unions in the north and the south, the Celtic unions, the English union and the first thing for me to do is to respect all of these unions and the work they do.
"It's also vital I have the respect from all the unions.
"Each union is very different because we have a very open game and we have the capacity to develop the game in all countries.
"When I become chairman of the IRB one of my first visits will be to the south, to meet the Sanzar unions to see exactly what their views are for the future and we have to discuss how to open the frontiers between the unions.
"Now it's a global game, rugby is professional and the players travel around the world to play in different unions and we have to make sure we're in the right situation to develop rugby in all parts of the world.
"For the first time in the World Cup semifinal we had two unions from the southern hemisphere and two unions from the north
"We have a good development of rugby in the south but unfortunately at the moment we have Argentina who aren't included in any tournament.
"This is very problematic for the Argentinean people and we have to be sure we protect the interest of all unions and the integrated season is very important, so the discussions in November are vital for the game."
