Agents row will take players abroad

ON THE BLIND SIDE

BY NEIL FISSLER

FRENCH and Japanese clubs are looking to pick off Premiership stars as the standoff between clubs and agents continues to rubble on.

Players agents are refusing to do deals with Premiership clubs after they stopped paying their fees as a cost-cutting measure leaving players to pick up the tab instead.

Both sides were due to meet for mediation, but that hasn’t materialised, and now players are being hawked around abroad, with France and Japan being targeted.

A source told Blindside:“Premiership clubs are in danger of being left behind. Some of the better teams like Exeter, Saracens and Bristol signed up players on long-term deals at the start of the pandemic.

“But there are the likes Harlequins and Bath who have got a lot of players out of contract who could be in trouble if this standoff continues.”