Steve Borthwick’s ailing national side could be decimated by England players signing up to a breakaway global league, with the Rugby Football Union adopting a view that they would be sacrificing their Test careers if they did so.
Plans are afoot for a new league featuring eight franchise teams and about 200 players which would take matches around the world across major cities. Twenty players are said to have signed up in principle for the league, which is believed to be backed by US and Middle East money and due to begin in 2026.
Bumper salaries and the promise of fewer matches are said to be significant in convincing players to join the rebel league, which has been likened to cricket’s IPL, LIV Golf and Formula One and represents the biggest challenge to the world order since the game went professional.
According to senior figures at the RFU, however, any England players who join the league would not be available for Borthwick’s side, with the union viewing any rebels in the same light as those who play abroad, in effect forcing them to choose between franchise and country.
Of England’s 2023 World Cup squad, Owen Farrell, Henry Arundell, Courtney Lawes, Manu Tuilagi, Jonny May, Billy Vunipola, David Ribbans, Kyle Sinckler and Jack Willis are all currently based in France and unavailable for selection due to the RFU’s staunch policy. It is understood that the RFU has no plans to change its policy on players based abroad despite England’s current losing streak, with one senior figure questioning who would warrant selection other than the Toulouse flanker Willis.
The RFU has just signed an eight-year £264m Professional Game Partnership with Premiership Rugby which has introduced enhanced contracts for 17 England players. A Premiership chief executive, meanwhile, has also poured cold water on the rebel league, pointing instead to the mooted creation of a Club World Championship which is expected to get off the ground in 2028. Another well-placed source suggested the breakaway league was a concerted attempt by players to drive up wages.
Joe Marler, who retired from England duty earlier this month has seemingly given the breakaway league his backing, however, writing on social media: “Why couldn’t this have been set up 5 years ago?!! About time things had a change up. Rugby is beautifully brutal and that’s how it should be sold. Might have to delay that retirement after all …”
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The South Africa captain, Siya Kolisi, would no doubt be among the targeted players given his profile and the fact that he has led the Springboks to back-to-back World Cups. He insisted he was unaware of the proposals when addressing the media before England’s clash with South Africa at Twickenham on Saturday.