Thursday 29 March 2018 11:50, UK
Ring-fencing the Aviva Premiership could bring England the kind of national control that has helped New Zealand and Ireland prosper, says Will Greenwood.
The Sky Sports rugby union expert was speaking on the latest episode of The Offload, as rumours continue around behind-closed-doors talks to end promotion and relegation to the Premiership.
Despite no official comment, many fans believe the conversation is advancing to pull up the drawbridge on the top tier. But there is widespread opposition to the move and more than 70 per cent of respondents to a Sky Sports Rugby Union poll said they were against it.
However, despite wanting the status quo maintained, Greenwood said the move could be beneficial from a player management point of view which may better serve the national side.
"As the number one and two ranked teams in the world stretch away - New Zealand and Ireland, and you look at the system within which they operate, it's very much centrally contracted," he said. "There are huge amounts of player control as the game becomes increasingly physical.
"The desire to ring-fence would allow a greater degree of control. Clubs would be more amenable to being told 'could you consider playing this young chap at full-back this week instead of fly-half'?
"Could you consider resting so and so before a European cup game next week because we know you'll want him to play, but is this league game truly relevant to you? Because we've already introduced a play-off system at the end of the season that allows you to finish fourth and still win the title. I understand those arguments."
When asked why the conversation at official level at least appeared to be shrouded in mystery, Greenwood said: "Because you deliver it and say this is done, we are doing it and you rely on the public, saying I will swallow and suck this up and on it goes."
In the latest episode of The Offload, Greenwood also discussed the cheating scandal that has embroiled Australian cricket in controversy, measuring it against the 'Bloodgate' scandal involving Harlequins in 2009.
