Neil Back

Backy: Is it form or France?

Thu Jul 09 12:05PM

When Andy Goode was called up by England last year, it appeared from the outside that the management were saying that you could play in France and still be selected for your country.

That continues to be the case with Martin Johnson selecting France-based Jonny Wilkinson and Riki Flutey in his latest elite player squad.

However, there are some in the media claiming that playing in France puts your England career at risk. I do not subscribe to this, as long as a player has the correct release clause in his contract.

Goode, James Haskell, Tom Palmer, Jamie Noon, Steve Thompson and Tom May have all failed to make the elite and Saxons squads, but is it because they all now play across the Channel?

I'm not so sure and suspect it might have more to do with form, returning to fitness and, for some, no longer being part of England's plans.

Obviously I am not privy to their contracts, but if any of them do not have the relevant clauses for international release then it is a huge boo-boo on their part.

Furthermore, if they did not consult the England management ahead of signing for their French clubs, then they did not do themselves any favours.

I was approached by a number of Top 14 clubs when I was playing. Had I wanted to accept an offer, then the England management would have been the first people I called.

Haskell looks to be the biggest casualty of the latest omissions, though I have no doubt he will be back in the reckoning if he plays well for his new club Stade Francais.

There has been some talk that James does not his life balance quite right for an England international and it is up to him to decide how he wants to conduct himself and change that perception.

There is a great deal of competition for the back row places and it's also important to remember that you do not get many years as a leading rugby player.

That's why it is so important to take your chance when it arrives.

I do not think it will be too hard for Jonno, Alan Wells, Brian Smith and Graham Rowntree to keep an eye on the form of the eight potential England players based in France, and that's why I think it has more to do with other factors.

Obviously there is a cost factor involved in watching them 'live', but I don't think that would be an issue for a body as rich as the RFU.

Nor is it hard to monitor a player's form with the use of video and stats. If I wanted to take a look at a player for Leeds, then it would take me less than an hour to get hold of their last four or five games on video, along with all sorts of statistical analysis.

So the fact they have selected only two of the eight players based in France has more to do with their value to the squad. Flutey had a fantastic finish to the Lions tour after getting over an early injury, while Jonny is.... well, Jonny.

If the rest of the France-based players do have the necessary release clauses in their contracts, then it is up to them to change Johnno's mind and play their way back into his squad.

Comments1 - 19 of 19

yep and your a @#$% whats your point
From liamhorne007 on Thu Jul 09 01:29PM
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who are you sugruejames...where are you from?
From mesteele42 on Thu Jul 09 03:14PM
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And you say all of this without telling us your place of birth? prove your better.
From fairmanmatt on Thu Jul 09 03:17PM
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Too shy to talk now?
From fairmanmatt on Thu Jul 09 03:18PM
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sugruejames......where is your caravan park?
From poison_the_well69 on Thu Jul 09 05:11PM
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hmmm sugrejames, how does it feel to come from a country that was ruled by creeps for 100s of years?
From dont_worry_uk on Thu Jul 09 05:46PM
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sugrue you are an embarassment to irish people ...have you ever travelled and opened your eyes..there is a big world out there...or are you just stirring it up for a laugh?
From pjmcinerney on Thu Jul 09 06:10PM
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no its just his inferiority complex coming through
From dont_worry_uk on Thu Jul 09 06:21PM
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I think that Martin Johnson does have a point. But i think that the international season should stay apart from the club season. that way all players can return to their country to play for it.
From joe.wyllie on Thu Jul 09 06:21PM
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I dont think sugruejames is really Irish. Most Irish people I have met have been educated and friendly, however a gypsy yes that I can believe. I bet he stinks too
From poison_the_well69 on Thu Jul 09 06:33PM
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yes im irish and id like to say the british people are as good as any race!,o.k we may have murdered each other over the last few hundred years!but sure we'll forgive and forget..anyhow i think backys question is hard to answer.if it was me id go to france,nice place,good weather.and lads travellers and gypsies come from england!lol,nothing wrong with it do!
From brennan.aaron on Thu Jul 09 07:59PM
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Not the gypsies ive met Brennan, but yeah the past is the past. We cant hate a race because of what our governments did\do. France is by far a better place to liver than the UK or Ireland I agree
From poison_the_well69 on Thu Jul 09 08:23PM
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whoops! Live not liver. But I bet liver tastes better in france too
From poison_the_well69 on Thu Jul 09 08:25PM
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I think sugruejames is the infamous orange2tuf who was also spitting anti-english vile on here
From poison_the_well69 on Thu Jul 09 08:53PM
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Or maybe its orange2tuf's sister
From poison_the_well69 on Thu Jul 09 08:54PM
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Ive asked the question before & he or maybe she swears he/she has never heard of orange2tuf . Orange is a Munster man & sugrue is an Ulsterman/woman . Orange disappeared possibly in the Shannon after Munster lost to Leinster in the HK semi , we wont have the same luxury with sugrue cause Ulster never win anything .
From firstchoicepm on Thu Jul 09 09:07PM
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Sugrue an Ulsterman..I doubt it if he is from Kerry ???
From pjmcinerney on Thu Jul 09 09:20PM
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hey thought we were talking rugby whats all the other nationalistic pish
From hcameron on Thu Jul 09 09:27PM
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firstchoicepm...I agree with you mate, but to be honest he is just after a reaction. I guess if we all ignore him he might slither back into his hole
From poison_the_well69 on Fri Jul 10 08:01PM
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