Guest Blog: Developing Talents

England have always been one of the best sides in world Rugby Union (despite sometimes not playing like it) and have made the last two World Cup Finals. An extensive, professional, national set up helps, but the secret of England’s success lies not so much in the resources of the national team, but in strength of the Aviva Premiership.

Like the English football Premiership, the Aviva Premiership has high profile television contracts through the likes of ESPN and Sky, ardent fans, and some of the best teams in the world, but the difference lies in how that money is spent.

English rugby teams, perhaps having looked at the failings of football to consistently produce quality home grown talent, decided to implement a salary cap, and keep a firm grip on their finances. This means that they can’t spend astronomical sums on attracting the Carters and the McCaws of this world, but it also means that they can’t attract foreign talent which crowds out young home grown starlets.

A quick look across the Channel sees the opposite happening. French rugby teams have lured some of the world’s best players with the appeal of big wages and big crowds, but it’s beginning to have a negative effect on the national side with fewer new stars coming through. No such problem in the UK, where England’s current national team has a distinctive youthful edge about it and goes into the World Cup on the back of winning the Six Nations.

Furthermore, rugby in the UK is set up to support the national team (which can’t be said of football), whereas kids in the north-west might grow up dreaming of playing for Manchester United, kids in rugby’s heartlands dream of playing at Twickenham. The clubs lose their best players for protracted periods every year due to competitions like the Six Nations, but they get reimbursed for it and it gives their young players the chance to shine and develop.

Of course, comparisons between football and rugby only go so far, and fans of both sports will point out the enormous differences in culture and attitude. However, there’s no arguing that the English rugby set up is far better at producing world class talents who perform for their country than their footballing counterparts, which is certainly good for the game as a whole. The level of the domestic game improves because clubs have focussed on their player development, and the profile of the game is heightened by a national team that regularly steps up to the plate and performs on the world’s biggest stage. Which is more than can be said for our football team.

An article on behalf of ESPN for Sky Sports.