Overseas England XV: Which Englishmen are plying their trade abroad?!
Rugby NewsSunday, 04 March 2018 at 19:41
In this article RUCK lists the top 15 English players who have played abroad (from the start of last season).
Less and less English players are moving abroad in recent times since the policy to exclude them from international call-ups was formalised by the Rugby Football Union in 2010 and came into effect after the 2011 World Cup.
There are two main reasons for it:
- to protect the quality of the English league by ensuring the best English players play in it
- to give the RFU more control and better access to current England or potential England players.
On the whole, the policy has achieved its aim, with the vast majority of English players having opted for international honours over better wages in places like France.
However, a number of quality players have still left these shores and here they are...
Fullback: Ben Foden (New York)
Winger: Nick Abendanon (Clermont)
Centre: Delon Armitage (Lyon)
Centre: Matt Hopper (Oyonnax)
Winger: Will Addison (Ulster)
Fly-half: Billy Burns (Ulster)
Scrum-half: Nathan Fowles (Edinburgh)
Prop: Ciaran Parker (Munster)
Hooker: Jack Riley (Houston SaberCats)
Prop: Kane Palma-Newport (US Colomiers)
Lock: Peter Browne (Ulster)
Lock: Geoff Parling (Rebels)
Flanker: Dave Sisi (Zebre)
Flanker: Steffon Armitage (Pau)
Number 8: Carl Fearns (Lyon)
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