Saracens second-row Maro Itoje has called on Premiership Rugby to halt the player exodus to the Top 14 as he refused to rule out moving overseas.
Itoje’s current contract ends next year and while his clear preference is to remain in north London, he’s concerned by the number of England internationals leaving.
Sam Simmonds, Luke Cowan-Dickie, David Ribbans and Joe Marchant are some of the players to have accepted the better financial rewards available in France.
Salary cap much higher in France
While Premiership clubs operate under a £5million salary cap, in France the limit is at £9.4million, while England don’t select stars playing their rugby overseas.
That rule is now coming under increasing pressure, but neither the Rugby Football Union nor Premiership Rugby seem to be willing to relax it at the current time.
Itoje though insists a solution must be found, saying: “First and foremost I love playing for Saracens. I love Saracens. In an ideal world I would love to spend the majority, if not the rest, of my career at Saracens.
“Saracens is a club that I love being a part of. I want to stay here, I want to stay in England, I want to keep playing my rugby in England.
“I think it’s good for the game to have English players in England. I think it’s good for the game to have a situation where the Premiership is thriving, English players are in England, the clubs have their English players… I think that’s a situation where all parties win.
Night all 🤟
. #YourSaracens💫 |@maroitoje pic.twitter.com/gcBtL48OJ0
— Saracens Rugby Club (@Saracens) April 2, 2023
“But unfortunately, at the moment, we have a situation where for numerous reasons, there are a number of regulations and requirements that are making it more and more difficult for English players to stay in England.
“I think we’re seeing an unfortunate trend at the moment. There are numerous quality English players in their prime who are going abroad, which has never really happened before in my playing career.
“Normally it’s players at the end of their careers going abroad for a year or two. Most English players want to stay in England and play their rugby in England.
“We need to make it more attractive for the clubs to have English players. PRL needs to make it more attractive for the clubs to have English players.
“We need to find solutions to that problem. But all things being equal, I would love to be at Saracens.”
Anthony Watson linked to Castres
Itoje’s England team-mate Anthony Watson has revealed that he is contemplating his future at Leicester, with his deal at the Tigers ending in June this year.
“I wouldn’t say all those players are desperate to leave the country but circumstances have forced them to do so. It’s being discussed amongst the lads,” he told The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast.
“I don’t really know any other profession where you’re punished for being at the top of your game. That’s what it’s like for a lot of England internationals.
“At this stage of my career, ideally I’d like to live at home close to my parents. My missus isn’t from here so we have no help with the little one from her side.
“My parents are based in Surrey. That’s the ideal scenario for myself. I want to play for England as much as possible but I would also explore an opportunity in France if it came about.”
READ MORE: Opinion: Why every international side should drop selection policies and pick players based abroad
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