Six Nations 2010: RFU sticks to its guns as Brive ask for Riki Flutey to be released

By Gavin Mairs Published: 8:53PM GMT 03 March 2010

Centre of attention: Brive have asked England to recover Riki Flutey (centre) for their Top fourteen diversion opposite Castres Photo: REUTERS

The Rugby Football Union on Wednesday validated the preference not to recover Haskell for Stade Français" compare opposite Toulouse on Saturday, notwithstanding a ask from the bar that the flanker should lapse to Paris immediately.

Stade Français have deserted claims by the RFU that Haskell is firm by an agreement to have him accessible for all of England"s chosen player patrol periods, and their disappointment has been strong by the actuality that France"s tip players have been expelled to fool around bar rugby this weekend.

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Amid claims that the RFU was creation a mount to deter destiny England players from personification their bar rugby in France, it is accepted that Brive"s ask for Flutey, the England centre, to be expelled for their outing to Castres on Saturday was additionally refused.

Toulon, meanwhile, on Wednesday night described Jonny Wilkinson"s unavailability for their home compare opposite Biarritz as "frustrating" and insisted that the England fly-half would have benefited from personification for his bar after being criticised for his performances in the Six Nations.

"We hoped there would be some-more coherence from the RFU, quite as we aren"t, distinct the English clubs, removing any income for player release," pronounced Simon Gillham, the Brive arch executive.

"I think the RFU are you do this deliberately. It is a severe time for us but I additionally assimilate their position.

"Martin Johnson no disbelief feels he needs as most credentials time as possible. I do think though that French clubs will right afar think again about signing stream England internationals."

Tom Whitford, the Toulon manager, pronounced his bar had not asked for Wilkinson"s lapse as they had perceived an email from the RFU last week informing them that the fly-half would not be released.

"We have sealed an agreement with the RFU that Jonny will be accessible to them during the autumn Test array and the Six Nations and we will honour that agreement," Whitford said.

"It is frustrating and in an preferred universe we would love to have Jonny behind this week finish and so would the Toulon supporters.

"I overtly hold he would have benefited from personification for Toulon this week finish as it would have authorised him to get afar from the goldfish play behind in England and get behind to his bread and butter of bar rugby. Even if Jonny isn"t appreciated by a little in England right now, he is desired in Toulon."

A heading rugby representative additionally pronounced on Wednesday night that he believed the RFU"s mount would action as a halt for French clubs deliberation signing England internationals.

"I think the French clubs didn"t realize just the final that England would be creation on the players," he said. "The French Federation has expelled all the France players for the Top fourteen matches and Stade probably felt that this wasn"t an England credentials week as there aren"t any Six Nations matches this weekend.

"This mount by the RFU is probably going to have hold up some-more formidable for any English players deliberation going to France and the French clubs will probably see English players as less attractive."