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LONDON- Former Hurricanes and Wellington utility Riki Flutey's rise through English rugby ranks is symptomatic of the problems facing the sport in England, All Blacks coach Graham Henry said today.
Henry and legendary former All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick said they believed the annual influx of New Zealand players to the northern hemisphere has already caused irreparable damage in England.
Shortly after Flutey was named to start at second five-eighth against the All Blacks on Saturday (0330 Sunday NZT), Henry could not help pinpointing the 28-year-old's switch of allegiance as proof home-grown players are being stymied.
"It's denying English guys the chance to improve themselves," Henry said.
Realistically Flutey was never a contender for the All Blacks, despite representing New Zealand at age-group level, and his subsequent rise to the international ranks since 2005 was symptomatic of the problems facing English rugby.
"When you continue to bring all these New Zealanders over and fill up the Premiership with them to the point where the English guys don't get a chance, the national side is going to suffer," Henry said.
"Perhaps the best way to do it is to stop all these Kiwis coming over."
Flutey, who was rushed into the England set-up after satisfying the three-year residential qualification in September, is the most recent example of a naturalised player representing England.
He follows former Kiwis league internationals Henry Paul and Lesley Vainikolo, who were both quickly discarded, while Auckland-born Northampton hooker Dylan Hartley is one the bench on Saturday.
While that quartet made the step up to the elite level, Henry said the presence of former New Zealand and other foreign internationals, who do not qualify for England, throughout the British club scene was also clearly detrimental.
Last weekend's Premiership games at Northampton and Leicester illustrated Henry's view: the four starting first five-eighths were were Carlos Spencer, Butch James, Derick Hougaard and Nick Evans - two former All Blacks, a pair of recently-capped Springboks.
One English newspaper today published a team of 22 New Zealand imports that could have conceivably played at Twickenham this weekend.
Official Rugby Football Union statistics indicate 245 New Zealand-born players are on professional contracts in Europe: 77 in England, 73 in France, 39 in Italy, 24 in Scotland, 18 in Ireland and 14 in Wales.
They include nine members of last year's World Cup squad as well as eight junior All Blacks, most recently Leicester's new wing from Canterbury, Scott Hamilton.
Henry's damning assessment has not gone unnoticed.
"I think we've got to be honest and realistic and say: ' yes, it has had an effect,"' said the RFU's management board chairman Martyn Thomas when confronted with the numbers of foreign players flooding England's domestic competition.
Thomas told The Times newspaper he hoped the present 65 per cent quota of English-qualified players in the Premiership would gradually increase from 2010 when clubs would be given financial incentives to foster local talent.
Fitzpatrick said England's decline since winning the 2003 World Cup and especially the recent losses to Australia and South Africa sounded a warning to the RFU.
"The Heineken Cup and the Premiership are some of the best competitions in the world but they're being enhanced by southern hemisphere players coming up here," he said.
"Is that to the detriment of the quality of the national team? Maybe you have to start saying that it is."
"As a viewer, I think it's great. Five or 10 years ago you didn't see that sort of rugby or talent on show. But if I was an Englishman I'd have my doubts.
"I think it is causing issues over and above the betterment of the domestic game. The RFU needs to decide whether it wants the England team or the Premiership to be the number one product."
The All Blacks completed their training with a solid workout in what has otherwise been a fairly low-intensity week as they prepare for their 15th and final test of the season - and one where victory will see the completion of a Grand Slam.
Captain Richie McCaw took time out to meet Lady June Hillary and English counterpart Steve Borthwick as the Hillary Shield - a new trophy to remember the achievements of iconic New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary - was unveiled at Twickenham.
The winning team will become the inaugural holders of the shield, which was suggested as an appropriate sign of respect for Sir Ed, the first conqueror of Mt Everest, who died in January aged 88.
- NZPA
