KEY POINTS:
Imposing restrictions on the number of overseas players in Europe is being touted as a potential remedy to restore the standing of test football.
Delegates at last week's IRB board meeting agreed they need to preserve the integrity of international rugby.
According to New Zealand Rugby Union chief executive Chris Moller, serious concerns were raised by some Northern Hemisphere executives about the impact so many foreign players were having on their nations' ability to produce quality test teams.
Some national coaches in that part of the world have made submissions to their own unions that the influx of non-eligible foreigners was dramatically reducing opportunity for homegrown players.
The problem is most severe in England, where, in some positions, the majority of players who start games in the Guinness Premiership each week are not English.
"That is something we are really concerned about - maintaining the integrity of test rugby," says Moller. "The strongest teams need to be playing each week.
"There are a number of options that exist around this issue. Sometimes regulation doesn't work. One of the issues is the number of non-eligible players and the way this reduces opportunities. There are coaches in the Northern Hemisphere who are particularly concerned about this. There are some positions where only about 50 per cent of the players are eligible for their national teams.
"There is no doubt that the revenue generated per test is dramatically bigger than the revenue generated by club games and the integrity of the test jersey has to be preserved. These issues were discussed [at last week's IRB board meeting in Dublin] and there are concerns."
Moller, however, also acknowledged New Zealand had a vested interest in European clubs having restrictions on overseas players.
Unprecedented numbers of quality New Zealand players will head overseas at the end of this season to cash in on the enormous pay packets on offer in Europe.
Despite an improved collective agreement the NZRU are struggling to compete financially and favour any protectionist measure that helps keep their best players.
While the issue was discussed, European employment law takes a dim view on restrictions of trade and any moves to impose quotas will almost certainly be rejected.
