Should he, Shouldn't he? - Steffon's England Future

As the dust finally settles at Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium and the French cheers draw to a close, after European rugby’s showpiece event, attention is still on Toulon, their prolific back rower Steffan and whether he should be picked in the England rugby team.

Back-to-back Heineken Cup winner, 2013 Top 14 Player of the season and now, the European Player of the Year – it is fair to say that Steffan Armitage has done it all.

The 28-year-old is widely regarded as one of the best and most influential back-rows in world rugby, but he remains to be left out of his national squad.

It is due to the RFU’s overseas players rule – not allowing ay English players who play their club rugby outside of the country to be selected for the national side – that Armitage is gearing up for a summer of relaxing in Toulon (after their Top 14 final) rather than a summer tour of New Zealand with England.

It was never expected that the former London Irish forward would have made it into this summer’s touring squad; however, will one of the world’s best, and most exciting, players be selected to prove his worth on the biggest stage of all – the  Rugby World Cup – in this circumstance, surely common sense should prevail?

Previous winners of the illustrious European Player of the Year Award – one of the highest honours for an individual in world rugby – include Jonny Wilkinson, Rob Kearney, Sean O’Brien and Ronan O’Gara, over the last four year – all of whom are Lions and internationals who have made incredible impacts for their countries.

Not only that, but two of the list (Wilkinson and O’Gara) are two of international rugby’s leading all-time scorers.

By no means are we saying that Armitage will be joining the ranks of such lofty company in that respect, but, similarly, you cannot deny the monumental impact he would have in an England shirt.

With just five caps to his name currently, the 28-year-old has improved beyond measure over his time at Toulon. A young flanker, who showed great promise has now excelled, beyond belief, into one of the world’s front-runners in his position.

A bulldozing, speedster, tackling, turnover king who makes his opposite men look second-rate in comparison; would be a vital component if England are too seriously launch an assault on the Webb Ellis trophy.

However, England the RFU and Stuart Lancaster, for the moment, are sticking by the rule to not select foreign-based players, partly because they are unable to attend all training camps and the paralysing fear that if they were to open the floodgates to one, it would mean the end of the English Premiership as we know it and a mass exodus, as has been in Wales, would result.

"It is not my rule but I agree with it," head coach Stuart Lancaster said.

"It is important for our best players to play in England. I would support it as a national coach.

"Playing for England is the ultimate really, and you want the players to play in our club programme," he said.

"We pay an unbelievable amount of money for a club-country relationship that gives you access to the players you don't normally get through the IRB situation.

"I do think probably the biggest one is still about players playing here and if Steffon or Toby (Flood) was to go and keep playing for England, what would happen next?

"If Manu, Corbs and Courtney, and Owen, and the list goes on, if they were to choose to go, I think that would have a knock-on effect.

"But I'm not getting any indication anyone does to be honest, the younger players certainly, all they are talking about is wanting to play for England and for their clubs."

So would an exception initiate the disastrous ‘exodus’ of talent that the RFU so passionately fears?

Well, exception, to many, is the key word. Within the RFU’s own rules it does say that players from overseas can only be picked from overseas in ‘exceptional circumstances’.

For a partly developmental summer tour or series of autumn internationals selection would not be expected; however, when it comes to a home World Cup – which you hope the RFU want to win – surely the best England team possible should play?

Having one of the world’s best players ready and willing to slot into position and help his country launch an assault on world cup glory once again, surely warrants itself an ‘exceptional circumstance’?

Lancaster conceded he would invoke the 'special circumstances' get-out clause to include flanker Armitage in the World Cup however, should injuries bite in the build-up.

"The special circumstances have got to be associated with injuries," he said. "It's not my rule but it is a rule I support.

"The players are aware: I had a conversation with Toby Flood about his move to Toulouse this summer and he's aware of his position.

"But equally there is that potential there, but it would be more likely closer to a World Cup if that was the case.

"That would have to be for me close to a World Cup, I wouldn't do it at the moment, for a New Zealand tour, autumn international or for Six Nations either. Not when I've got other players out there who could be developed."

Should the RFU allow an exception in this rule, though, would a chink in the armour eventually become a chasm?

As Lancaster, himself, did say – the majority of young players growing up want to thrive in their own country and feature in the Aviva Premiership.

It is a wild generalisation that all of England’s top players will immediately pack-up their things and leave the country for pastures new France.

Although it did happen in Wales, the Pro12, and particularly the Welsh regions with their salary cap, is a far less fruitful position to be in than over the border in England.

After all, perhaps Wales’ greatest talent George North, did chose to come to Northampton ahead of a whole-host of French bidders.

Perhaps money isn’t quite the pull the RFU think it is; in any case, this is rugby and not football…