As European clubs start playing pre-season friendlies and recruitment has by and large finished aside from one or two late pick ups here and there. There is one trend that is very noticeable ...
Over this off season there has been a major reduction in the number of players from "Tier 2" nations in English professional rugby in both the Premiership and Championship.
Last season there were a total of 50 players cap tied to Tier 2 nations who featured for Premiership clubs (there were an additional few players who are from Tier 2 nations, but either cap tied for Tier 1 nations such as Taqele Naiyaravoro, Nathan Hughes, or Tim Visser, or sitting uncapped to protect EQP status and unlikely to ever play for their native country like Marco Mama or Mike Williams).
Since we have been covering numbers of players in Europe that number in and around 50 Tier 2 internationals in the Premiership has been very consistent. In 2017/18 in fact the figure was exactly the same. However for next season, over half those players are departing, with 27 in total having either retired, been released, relegated, or simply moved elsewhere.
Whilst incoming into the Premiership are only 8 new Tier 2 internationals, with 5 of those as part of the promoted London Irish squad (exactly cancelling out the number going down with Newcastle), and only 3 new signings all Pacific Islanders from French clubs in Steve Mafi, Ed Fidow, and Nephi Leatigaga.
So as of writing the number of Tier 2 internationals in the Premiership is set to decrease from around 50 to likely somewhere in the low 30s. A very notable 39% drop in just one season.
Tier 2 international Premiership incoming players (8):
Nephi Leatigaga (Leicester), Bryce Campbell, TJ Ioane, Steve Mafi, Motu Matu'u, Albert Tuisue, Alivereti Veitokani (London Irish), Ed Fidow (Worcester).
Tier 2 international Premiership outgoing players (27):
Alofa Alofa, Mat Luamanu (Bayonne), Andrei Ostrikov (Grenoble), Paul Mullen (Houston Sabercats), Kahn Fotuali'i (Montpellier), Josh Matavesi, Logovi'i Mulipola, Nemani Nagusa, Sinoti Sinoti, Tane Takulua, Cooper Vuna (Newcastle), Valentino Mapapalangi, Anthony Perenise (Rouen), Johnny Leota (Sale FC), Tusi Pisi (Toyota Industries Shuttles), Alex Tarus (Zebre), Alafoti Fa'osiliva, David Feao, Jack Lam, Campese Ma'afu, Evan Olmstead, Ken Pisi, Nafi Tuitavake (released), Chris Wyles (retired).
It should be understood that this drop has nothing to do with English clubs suddenly not wanting to sign players from across the world. As by comparison to France the English have long been relatively conservative in recruitment, and for the most part not built many connections overseas (Steve Diamond's link with Russia being one exception), do no scouting for talent across the world and possible bargains, and prefer safer more experienced options out of other pro leagues.
The number of players in the Premiership for example signed out of Georgia, or even out of Fiji, currently the two most productive talent pools of young players in the world outside Tier 1 and who have been very successful areas of scouting for French clubs, is actually very small and was zero last season.
Last season although there were 9 players in the Premiership from Fiji, none of those were players who were actually signed out of Fiji. Instead they got their first break in pro rugby either in France, Mitre10 Cup and Super Rugby in New Zealand or Australia and were signed from there (Rokoduguni is the exception although not signed out of Fiji he could be said to have got his break in the Premiership). The sole Georgian in the Premiership Zurab Zhvania was also signed from France, not from Georgia.
Next season there will be two players signed out of Fiji in Alivereti Veitokani and Albert Tuisue who London Irish recruited from the Fijian Drua in January. Although these are the first Fijians to get their first break in pro rugby at a Premiership club for some time, Premiership clubs have recruited less out of Fiji in than just two Scottish sides, or single Top 14 clubs like Clermont.
There are exceptions of course of players who were signed from lower levels across the world. Such as those Fijians at London Irish, Valery Morozov at Sale (from the Diamond connection to Russia which also brought Vadim Cobilas there as well), Titi Lamositele at Saracens, Joe Taufete'e at Worcester, Paul Lasike after his performance vs Scotland at Harlequins. Or notably in the recent past Logovi'i Mulipola and Blaine Scully at Leicester, Samu Manoa (in exchange for missing a RWC) at Northampton.
In general though this is not common, and does not represent high percentage of the overall foreign recruitment, at least not by comparison to France. Of those 50 Tier 2 internationals in the Premiership last season, only 7 of those in Lamositele, Taufete'e, Lasike, Mulipola (initially with Leicester), Kalamafoni (initially with Nottingham), and Vailanu were actually signed by English clubs out of Tier 2 nations (also one other who was a Tier 1 international in Tim Visser initially with Newcastle). More than that played at Clermont alone last season (4 from Fiji, 3 from Georgia, and 1 from Spain).
As Premiership clubs will always most often favour overseas recruitment with players with some experience of Super Rugby, Mitre10 Cup, Currie Cup (or if not from either the Top 14 or Pro14). Unsurprisingly the majority of Tier 2 internationals in the Premiership are players from New Zealand/Australia who play internationally for either Samoa or Tonga in particular.
Of the 50 Tier 2 internationals in the Premiership last season 29 were from Samoa or Tonga, and 37 from the Pacific Islands. So as those nations are the bulk of the Tier 2 players in the league, obviously this cut in numbers in England is something that is relevant to them more than others.
17 out of the 27 Tier 2 internationals leaving the Premiership are from Samoa or Tonga and 21 out the 27 from the Pacific Islands. The nation with easily the biggest loss is Samoa, who despite accounting for half the new Tier 2 internationals to the league, sees their numbers fall from 18 down to 10.
When looking into the reason behind this, it is most likely simply a coincidence of timing based on the ages and stages of career a lot of the players leaving are at, than any change in rules or anything.
By chance a number of the Pacific Islanders in the Premiership all at once were perhaps getting on in age. 24 out of the 37 Islanders in the league are 30 or over, and these represent most of the departures.
Kahn Fotuali'i, Tusi Pisi, Anthony Perenise, Johnny Leota, Campese Ma'afu, Alafoti Fa'osiliva, Cooper Vuna, Mat Luamanu, Nafi Tuitavake, Ken Pisi are players over 30 who played reduced roles at their clubs this past season. Or even if they did play quite a bit like Lovobalavu at Wasps, age at 34 likely impacted on not being retained, especially as an outside back with Fekitoa coming in.
This also perhaps reflects the fact back around 2010 to 2013 there was a burst of Super Rugby calibre talent joining Samoa on signing for clubs in Europe (which boosted them significantly at the time to a World Ranking high). Whilst in recent times Samoa do not appear to have had so much luck in getting Super Rugby players in the next generation in same numbers. Jordan Taufua, Melani Nanai, Michael Fatialofa for example have seemingly still not become available, whilst others like Lima Sopoaga, Francis Saili, Bryce Heem all got cap tied to New Zealand before moving to the Premiership.
A few of the departures are also players who were temporary signings such as Paul Mullen, Chris Wyles (who returned for one more game with Saracens), Hisa Sasagi, Evan Olmstead. Although these numbers can be made up for easily by next season's emergency buys.
This is a separate issue to the Premiership, but at the same time there has also been a large reduction in numbers of Tier 2 internationals playing in the Championship for next season.
31 out of the 48 Tier 2 internationals who played last season in the second tier of English rugby are not contracted to play in it next season. Whilst incoming are just 12 players, 7 of which are with relegated Newcastle, 3 are promoted Ampthill's veteran Tongans, and outside those sides just two in former Fijian 7s player Ifereimi Boladau at Nottingham and Tongan Sione Faletau at Yorkshire Carnegie.
This means whilst last season in total there were 97 Tier 2 internationals in the top two divisions of English rugby. As of writing for next season that figure looks set to shrink to around 59-60.
It's harder to put a finger on what possible explanations for this are, but increasingly the league appears to be becoming somewhat of a desert as far as opportunity for pro rugby for players from Tier 2.
A handful of the players in RWC training squads such as Nick Civetta, Ben Landry, Justin Blanchet, Jake Ilnicki, Henry Seniloli, Dan Faleafa, and after an implausible lack of game time Lasha Lomidze and Nodar Cheishvili all departing with virtually nothing coming in the opposite direction.
Maybe there are harsher EQP restrictions coming in at Championship level which might perhaps explain Lomidze getting only 4 sub appearances at Doncaster (he may not be the world's best but there is no way he is not good enough at that level), or Blanchet getting released very soon after playing for Canada. However the rules relating to the league are hard to find on the internet.
Another possibility may simply be the poor state of the league itself, with some of the teams having been rumoured as not in the best shape in the past, and the crisis at Yorkshire Carnegie dominating summer headlines, and how worthy of the status "fully pro" some of the clubs in it really are.
Outside Newcastle the list of overseas signings in the league this summer hardly looks at all more impressive then even MLR in its early days. Maybe most Championship clubs in its current state is just not offering the wages to make it desirable or worthwhile for many players to travel there any more.
The sharp shrinkage of players from "Tier 2" nations in England
Over this off season there has been a major reduction in the number of players from "Tier 2" nations in English professional rugby in both the Premiership and Championship.
Last season there were a total of 50 players cap tied to Tier 2 nations who featured for Premiership clubs (there were an additional few players who are from Tier 2 nations, but either cap tied for Tier 1 nations such as Taqele Naiyaravoro, Nathan Hughes, or Tim Visser, or sitting uncapped to protect EQP status and unlikely to ever play for their native country like Marco Mama or Mike Williams).
Since we have been covering numbers of players in Europe that number in and around 50 Tier 2 internationals in the Premiership has been very consistent. In 2017/18 in fact the figure was exactly the same. However for next season, over half those players are departing, with 27 in total having either retired, been released, relegated, or simply moved elsewhere.
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| Samoa's Ed Fidow as of writing just one of eight new Tier 2 internationals arriving to the Premiership next season |
Whilst incoming into the Premiership are only 8 new Tier 2 internationals, with 5 of those as part of the promoted London Irish squad (exactly cancelling out the number going down with Newcastle), and only 3 new signings all Pacific Islanders from French clubs in Steve Mafi, Ed Fidow, and Nephi Leatigaga.
So as of writing the number of Tier 2 internationals in the Premiership is set to decrease from around 50 to likely somewhere in the low 30s. A very notable 39% drop in just one season.
Tier 2 international Premiership incoming players (8):
Nephi Leatigaga (Leicester), Bryce Campbell, TJ Ioane, Steve Mafi, Motu Matu'u, Albert Tuisue, Alivereti Veitokani (London Irish), Ed Fidow (Worcester).
Tier 2 international Premiership outgoing players (27):
Alofa Alofa, Mat Luamanu (Bayonne), Andrei Ostrikov (Grenoble), Paul Mullen (Houston Sabercats), Kahn Fotuali'i (Montpellier), Josh Matavesi, Logovi'i Mulipola, Nemani Nagusa, Sinoti Sinoti, Tane Takulua, Cooper Vuna (Newcastle), Valentino Mapapalangi, Anthony Perenise (Rouen), Johnny Leota (Sale FC), Tusi Pisi (Toyota Industries Shuttles), Alex Tarus (Zebre), Alafoti Fa'osiliva, David Feao, Jack Lam, Campese Ma'afu, Evan Olmstead, Ken Pisi, Nafi Tuitavake (released), Chris Wyles (retired).
Relatively conservative recruitment from English clubs is nothing new
It should be understood that this drop has nothing to do with English clubs suddenly not wanting to sign players from across the world. As by comparison to France the English have long been relatively conservative in recruitment, and for the most part not built many connections overseas (Steve Diamond's link with Russia being one exception), do no scouting for talent across the world and possible bargains, and prefer safer more experienced options out of other pro leagues.
The number of players in the Premiership for example signed out of Georgia, or even out of Fiji, currently the two most productive talent pools of young players in the world outside Tier 1 and who have been very successful areas of scouting for French clubs, is actually very small and was zero last season.
Last season although there were 9 players in the Premiership from Fiji, none of those were players who were actually signed out of Fiji. Instead they got their first break in pro rugby either in France, Mitre10 Cup and Super Rugby in New Zealand or Australia and were signed from there (Rokoduguni is the exception although not signed out of Fiji he could be said to have got his break in the Premiership). The sole Georgian in the Premiership Zurab Zhvania was also signed from France, not from Georgia.
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| Alivereti Veitokani was signed along with Albert Tuisue by London Irish from the Fijian Drua last January |
Next season there will be two players signed out of Fiji in Alivereti Veitokani and Albert Tuisue who London Irish recruited from the Fijian Drua in January. Although these are the first Fijians to get their first break in pro rugby at a Premiership club for some time, Premiership clubs have recruited less out of Fiji in than just two Scottish sides, or single Top 14 clubs like Clermont.
There are exceptions of course of players who were signed from lower levels across the world. Such as those Fijians at London Irish, Valery Morozov at Sale (from the Diamond connection to Russia which also brought Vadim Cobilas there as well), Titi Lamositele at Saracens, Joe Taufete'e at Worcester, Paul Lasike after his performance vs Scotland at Harlequins. Or notably in the recent past Logovi'i Mulipola and Blaine Scully at Leicester, Samu Manoa (in exchange for missing a RWC) at Northampton.
In general though this is not common, and does not represent high percentage of the overall foreign recruitment, at least not by comparison to France. Of those 50 Tier 2 internationals in the Premiership last season, only 7 of those in Lamositele, Taufete'e, Lasike, Mulipola (initially with Leicester), Kalamafoni (initially with Nottingham), and Vailanu were actually signed by English clubs out of Tier 2 nations (also one other who was a Tier 1 international in Tim Visser initially with Newcastle). More than that played at Clermont alone last season (4 from Fiji, 3 from Georgia, and 1 from Spain).
Tier 2 internationals in England predominantly Pacific Islanders
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| A Pacific Islander in NZ or Aus is by far the most common signing of a Tier 2 international by a Premiership club |
As Premiership clubs will always most often favour overseas recruitment with players with some experience of Super Rugby, Mitre10 Cup, Currie Cup (or if not from either the Top 14 or Pro14). Unsurprisingly the majority of Tier 2 internationals in the Premiership are players from New Zealand/Australia who play internationally for either Samoa or Tonga in particular.
Of the 50 Tier 2 internationals in the Premiership last season 29 were from Samoa or Tonga, and 37 from the Pacific Islands. So as those nations are the bulk of the Tier 2 players in the league, obviously this cut in numbers in England is something that is relevant to them more than others.
17 out of the 27 Tier 2 internationals leaving the Premiership are from Samoa or Tonga and 21 out the 27 from the Pacific Islands. The nation with easily the biggest loss is Samoa, who despite accounting for half the new Tier 2 internationals to the league, sees their numbers fall from 18 down to 10.
Reduction in Premiership numbers simply a coincidence?
When looking into the reason behind this, it is most likely simply a coincidence of timing based on the ages and stages of career a lot of the players leaving are at, than any change in rules or anything.
By chance a number of the Pacific Islanders in the Premiership all at once were perhaps getting on in age. 24 out of the 37 Islanders in the league are 30 or over, and these represent most of the departures.
Kahn Fotuali'i, Tusi Pisi, Anthony Perenise, Johnny Leota, Campese Ma'afu, Alafoti Fa'osiliva, Cooper Vuna, Mat Luamanu, Nafi Tuitavake, Ken Pisi are players over 30 who played reduced roles at their clubs this past season. Or even if they did play quite a bit like Lovobalavu at Wasps, age at 34 likely impacted on not being retained, especially as an outside back with Fekitoa coming in.
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| Samoa has had less luck getting eligible players such as Jordan Taufua on board in recent times reducing their numbers as older players start moving on |
A few of the departures are also players who were temporary signings such as Paul Mullen, Chris Wyles (who returned for one more game with Saracens), Hisa Sasagi, Evan Olmstead. Although these numbers can be made up for easily by next season's emergency buys.
Opportunities in the Championship also gone bust
This is a separate issue to the Premiership, but at the same time there has also been a large reduction in numbers of Tier 2 internationals playing in the Championship for next season.
31 out of the 48 Tier 2 internationals who played last season in the second tier of English rugby are not contracted to play in it next season. Whilst incoming are just 12 players, 7 of which are with relegated Newcastle, 3 are promoted Ampthill's veteran Tongans, and outside those sides just two in former Fijian 7s player Ifereimi Boladau at Nottingham and Tongan Sione Faletau at Yorkshire Carnegie.
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| Nick Civetta is one of a host of players in RWC training squads who have been released by Championship clubs |
It's harder to put a finger on what possible explanations for this are, but increasingly the league appears to be becoming somewhat of a desert as far as opportunity for pro rugby for players from Tier 2.
A handful of the players in RWC training squads such as Nick Civetta, Ben Landry, Justin Blanchet, Jake Ilnicki, Henry Seniloli, Dan Faleafa, and after an implausible lack of game time Lasha Lomidze and Nodar Cheishvili all departing with virtually nothing coming in the opposite direction.
Maybe there are harsher EQP restrictions coming in at Championship level which might perhaps explain Lomidze getting only 4 sub appearances at Doncaster (he may not be the world's best but there is no way he is not good enough at that level), or Blanchet getting released very soon after playing for Canada. However the rules relating to the league are hard to find on the internet.
Another possibility may simply be the poor state of the league itself, with some of the teams having been rumoured as not in the best shape in the past, and the crisis at Yorkshire Carnegie dominating summer headlines, and how worthy of the status "fully pro" some of the clubs in it really are.
Outside Newcastle the list of overseas signings in the league this summer hardly looks at all more impressive then even MLR in its early days. Maybe most Championship clubs in its current state is just not offering the wages to make it desirable or worthwhile for many players to travel there any more.
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