England trio to join French clubs
Flutey’s move to Brive was announced by the Top 14 club last night, while Haskell and Palmer have signed for Stade Francais.
French clubs are not bound by a salary cap like their Guinness Premiership rivals and can therefore offer wages far in excess of those available in England.
Reports suggest that Flutey and Haskell have virtually trebled their money, which is a major concern both for English club rugby and the national team.
Wasps executive chairman Mark Rigby said: “It does raise great concern that French clubs can now blow the English clubs away when it comes to salaries and it is clear that in financial terms we are no longer on a level playing field.
“There is a wider concern that the development of English rugby players will only be hampered as they move away from the Guinness Premiership, which stands as the best domestic league in the northern hemisphere, and regular head-to-head competition.”
Haskell, Flutey and Palmer will no longer fall under the eight-year access agreement that England thrashed out with the Premiership clubs.
The trio will have to be released for Test matches but their French employers are under no obligation to make them available for additional England training weeks.
Wasps have also lost club captain Raphael Ibanez, who announced he had been forced to retire after suffering a series of concussions.
The English RFU said it would study the potential impact of the announcement.
“It will be discussing internally and with Premier Rugby Ltd the possible long-term effects on the English club game, the operation of the EPS programmes under the new eight-year RFU/PRL agreement and the effect of the PRL ‘revenue smoothing’ arrangements on our clubs’ abilities to remain competitive in the player market.
nNicolas Mas has been ruled out of France’s RBS 6 Nations match against Wales next week because of a strained left adductor.
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