Very good article. It's not long. I actually learned a thing or two in there myself, everybody should know about this.
The eternal battle betw. the fkn Top14 and our national side...
http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3820_8576474,00.html
Very true, it is a good article..........
The only way it can be resolved is where the Federation and the clubs reach an agreement similar to the English one where the French clubs are properly rewarded for the days that THEIR employees are released for International duty and 500 euro per player per day is not a proper reward. On this basis the federation could have more for longer and the clubs could afford quality replacements to cover their absences.
This leads to the point that the "budgets in France are enormous". We see te total budget for expenditure including salaries and the rise in the budgets has grown through the sky high salaries and perks paid to attract foreign and other French clubs players and once one club started that merry go round, everyone has to climb on board just to compete. Only have to look at the gap between ASM, ST, RCT and the rest of the clubs to see that one!
The main problem I feel is that the French clubs do not train, and the players would not accept to be trained, hard enough. They are not nearly as fit as their British Isles counterparts (look how Phillips imporoved during his time with the Welsh squad). Also they are not as well treated when they are injured............I know of several players who, at one time or another, were carrying injuries but were told they had to have pain killing injections and get on pitch - which probably caused greater injury.
There is also a point in that they play more games than UK and Irish players but this is not valid in many, many cases as Top 14 teams' attitudes are to win all their home games and sneak one or two away games and that will get them into the play offs. They rest players for a number of away games per season and most players have some sort of injury downtime too...Think RWC 2011 when the players who took part did not lay for the clubs until the one game in October prior to the H Cup first round!
So I would put the faults down to not being fit enough, the wrong coaching staff (what has PSA won as a coach) and tactics/game plan and only at the end of that, the dispute with the clubs who are the employers after all!
