Sir Clive Woodward demands that ‘ridiculous’ England ruling is axed to ‘protect Test rugby’

Rugby World Cup-winning head coach Sir Clive Woodward believes that the Rugby Football Union (RFU) must allow foreign-based players to feature for the Red Rose.

Currently, only individuals playing in the Premiership are able to be called up to Steve Borthwick’s side, which means that the likes of Jack Willis, Henry Arundell and Sam Simmonds are ineligible.

Those laws are in place to protect the domestic game, as well as keeping the teams competitive in Europe and making the league a more attractive proposition for fans and sponsors.

However, with many of the clubs struggling financially, as evidenced by the demise of Worcester Warriors, Wasps and London Irish, the Premiership has started to see more and more exciting English players depart.

Henry Arundell situation

That includes Arundell, who opted against returning to England by signing a new two-year deal with Racing 92, which proved to be a significant hammer blow for the RFU.

“The ridiculous RFU ruling that players who play for clubs abroad can’t also represent England would not have been in place if I was head coach. Or, if it had, I would have stepped down. There are some things in rugby that should be sacrosanct and protected at all costs,” Woodward wrote in the Daily Mail.

“As the man in charge of the national team, you simply have to be able to pick the best players who qualify for England. That should be set in stone. Borthwick is the man in that position but he can’t do that right now.

“The mindset the foreign ruling protects the Premiership clubs and fosters a stronger national side is badly flawed. Three Premiership clubs have fallen into administration and England are nowhere near becoming the No 1 ranked side in the world.

“Arundell is the brightest young England player and for him to not be playing at Twickenham goes against the sheer fabric of international rugby.”

The RFU are attempting to stave off a further exodus by introducing ‘hybrid contracts’, which gives the clubs a financial reward for allowing England to have a greater control of their players.

Woodward is not a fan of the idea, though, and believes that is smacks of “panic” from the governing body.

“For the 2024/25 season, the RFU is set to implement new hybrid contracts for the country’s 25 top stars. The move is designed to keep England’s best players in England and stop them moving abroad, but I think it represents flawed thinking and the lack of a joined-up approach,” he wrote.

“Central contracts – or a form of them – should not be needed. They are a panic move born out of the Premiership’s financial crisis. They are a recipe for disaster.

“They have clearly been put in place by people who have never run successful sports teams. It places Borthwick in a very difficult position.”

Return of a great

Woodward’s criticism of the governing body does not stop there and the ex-England boss believes that they are reactive rather than proactive.

The 67-year-old’s solution is to therefore bring back some of the members of the victorious 2003 England side, with captain of that team, Martin Johnson, at the top of the list.

“Last month I hosted a reunion to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the 2003 England team winning the World Cup. The room was packed with some of the biggest names in rugby, all of whom are bright, experienced, hugely knowledgeable and passionate people,” he recalled.

“It got me thinking. Why isn’t Martin Johnson on the RFU board? Why aren’t guys like Will Greenwood and Matt Dawson involved in the game? Apart from Bill Sweeney as chief executive, those on the RFU board operate in the shadows. Who are they and what do they do?

“The RFU needs no-nonsense figures with rugby experience who will front up to the media, supporters and the clubs on big issues. The RFU has many good people, but its leading figures are reactionary not proactive.

“If the RFU employed someone with rugby gravitas like Johnson, I’m sure the situation that has led Owen Farrell to step away from England duty would never have happened.

“Johnson would have fronted up to the media and the fans and made it clear it was unacceptable for England supporters to boo Farrell. He would have nipped the problem in the bud.

“That didn’t happen. Instead, we had the usual platitudes from the RFU after the horse had bolted and the result is English rugby has lost its captain and talisman for the foreseeable future.”

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