Quote ="inside_man"Players who have come through the clubs academy be capped at 50% of there wage. Simples.'"
Without unduly criticising, why has there developed a 'political correctness' regarding the salary cap? Why cap players that have come through the clubs academy at 50%? If the RFL had any balls whatsoever it would take academy developed players off the cap altogether! This would, at a stroke, make it imperative for clubs to invest in youth development and prevent all the 'fudging' that has gone on in recent years. There's only one way to save our game from eventual extinction and that is to force the 'non-contributing' clubs to stop taking the easy option! However, the current administration would prefer to sit back and let standards decline, the game rot and become a feeder for Union whilst bleating about the 'levelling of the competition'! They've levelled it down to little more than a poor game of tick and pass for the most part!
I watched 'Living with the lions' the other night and was reminded of a time when many of the elite of British Rugby Union had played League at some time in their carreer. The likes of Scott Gibbs and Quinnell, Alan Tait, John Bentley et al where plying their trade for the pinnacle in Rugby Union long after we had had the best of them in league. Look at the current Lions. How many will ever come within coo-ee of League. I'm betting none. In fact I'm guessing the only players from League that will appear at the top end of the Union game from here on in are the ones they poach from us in the first place!
