Welsh, Scottish and Irish rugby fans have known for some time that English rugby players can get away with all sorts of foul play provided that they are “needed” to play for their national team in the near future. Even a few American rugby fans might remember Danny Grewcock kicking Mike Hercus in the ribs when he was lying well away from the play. Nothing gets done, because the people in charge of the disciplinary process are the same people who run the national team. But English rugby is a professional sport, and it has finally come to the attention of one of the club managers that this gives a distinct advantage to those clubs with a lot of England players in their side. So well said, John Fletcher:

“The message that sends is that it’s okay to go around a rugby field punching people in the back of the head.

“Of course it couldn’t have anything to do with the fact that Shaw is most likely going to be involved with England during the autumn Tests. It’s one rule for one and one for another.”

Now maybe we’ll see something done about this.