Call for clubs to be dismissed from RFU

FRAN COTTON yesterday demanded that England's top clubs be dismissed from the Rugby Football Union in another blistering attack on the body that represents them.

Cotton has criticised the English Professional Rugby Union Clubs following its call for layers not to be made available for divisional sides.

The ex England skipper, who has launched a verbal volley at EPRUC chairman, Donald Kerr, already this season, has gone back on the offensive and called for the RFU to act.

"I can't see why the men who are directing EPRUC keep their dubs, in the RFU," said Cotton, who will manage the British Lions on their tour of South Africa next year.

"They want to stop their players from playing against an international side like the New Zealand Barbarians and they tell their clubs not to make their grounds available.

"I also read comments from Sir John Hall (Newcastle's owner) saying that when he has obtained the support of the European Courts, he will contact all his friends and arrange EPRUC's departure from the RFU.

"So what are we waiting for here? According to their spokesmen, these clubs have no wish to be part of the RFU and appear to me to be in breach of RFU bye laws.

"I can't see why they should not be expelled so that the rest of the game can get on with running its affairs in a sensible and affordable way."

Cotton added: "I feel that the RFU should make it clear that these games are England trials, as was agreed earlier in the year, and that if clubs prevent their players from supporting the divisions, they are effectively preventing them from wearing an England jersey at any level.

"But in calling for players to be withdrawn, the clubs are not only playing politics with players' they are also costing them alot of money.

"We hear so much about, restraint of trade these days and how people have rights to earn a living, but Mr Kerr and his friends seem quite prepared to deny players the chance to earn £2,000 in 11 days playing four matches for the North.

Second division Wakefield have already said they will not stand in the way of players' wanting to appear for the divisions with other clubs expected to follow suit.

And John Spencer, another former England captain, has also criticised EPRUC - who stopped players taking part in England squad sessions earlier in the season - for it's latest move.

I'm appalled at the decision to ask clubs to withdraw players," said Spencer, who succeeded Cotton as chairman of the North's Playing Committee.

"To do this as a protest illustrates perfectly their misconception of the nature of the game at other levels.

"Not only does that decision deprive tens of thousands of supporters from watching the best players in their region playing against senior international sides but it also prevents players from experiencing the intensity of competition at that level.

"It is a totally negative attitude which says much about EPRUC and their negotiators and is an insult to the thousands of people around the country who work so hard, for nothing, to make the game what it is.

"They must by now be finding these statements rather tedious and the stale odour of EPRUC very offensive.

"They have already held the England players to ransom and now they are trying to hold the wider game to ransom by depriving the provinces of seeing top quality representative rugby locally."