RFU close 3 academies

[Which Tyler]

TBF, this is the more sensible place for it - though of course, a dedicated thread would be most sensible - since it's an issue that gets brought up most years since it was introduced 15-ish years ago (with the same arguments being made each time, just with different player's names - oddly, usually players with very few caps who haven't actually proven themselves worthy of many more)

[Oakboy]

TBF, this is the more sensible place for it - though of course, a dedicated thread would be most sensible - since it's an issue that gets brought up most years since it was introduced 15-ish years ago (with the same arguments being made each time, just with different player's names - oddly, usually players with very few caps who haven't actually proven themselves worthy of many more)

Did it all start with Steffon Armitage? 2008??

[Which Tyler]

He's the first I can remember, but couldn't remember his dates off the top of my head.
Whilst St Jonny was picked for the 2007 RWC whilst playing for Toulon.

EPS agreement was Rob Andrews' baby, who came in explicitly to fire Robinson in 2006.

[Which Tyler]

The names I can think of that have discussed for "ditch the rule" would be:

Steffon Armitage - 5 caps, didn't look like a starter before he arrived in France
Iain Balshaw - 38 caps and 30 years old - IIRC had already lost his England starting spot to Delon, with Foden & Brown coming through
Delon Armitage - 26 caps and 29 years old - IIRC had already lost his England starting spot to Foden, with Brown another option
Nick Abendanon - 1 cap and 28 years old - not really missed, but had a purple patch on arrival in France, discussion was not terribly vehement
Zach Mercer - Not that much clamour, came back anyway
Jack Willis - had a 1 year exemption as his club went bust, preferred to stay in France than play for England, may yet return
Henry Arundell - had a 1 year exemption as his club went bust, preferred to stay in France than play for England, may yet return

There must have been others as well, but those are the names that spring to mind.

[Puja]

The names I can think of that have discussed for "ditch the rule" would be:

Steffon Armitage - 5 caps, didn't look like a starter before he arrived in France
Iain Balshaw - 38 caps and 30 years old - IIRC had already lost his England starting spot to Delon, with Foden & Brown coming through
Delon Armitage - 26 caps and 29 years old - IIRC had already lost his England starting spot to Foden, with Brown another option
Nick Abendanon - 1 cap and 28 years old - not really missed, but had a purple patch on arrival in France, discussion was not terribly vehement
Zach Mercer - Not that much clamour, came back anyway
Jack Willis - had a 1 year exemption as his club went bust, preferred to stay in France than play for England, may yet return
Henry Arundell - had a 1 year exemption as his club went bust, preferred to stay in France than play for England, may yet return

There must have been others as well, but those are the names that spring to mind.

Ashton was another when he was scoring tries for fun in Toulon and then scored them against England for the Barbarians.

He's the first I can remember, but couldn't remember his dates off the top of my head.
Whilst St Jonny was picked for the 2007 RWC whilst playing for Toulon.

EPS agreement was Rob Andrews' baby, who came in explicitly to fire Robinson in 2006.

Jonny was the first test of the rule, IIRC. It was that any player who signed a new contract abroad wouldn't be available from the start of that contract except for "exceptional circumstances". He extended in 2011 after the RWC and everyone went, "Ah well, it won't apply to Jonny - he is exceptional circumstances," and Jonny retired from international duty, confirming it did apply to him, but he'd decided to stay in France.

Really added teeth to the rule. There were quite a few players who had probably fancied their chances of being "exceptional circumstances" who came back to England after finding out that it really did apply to everyone.

Puja