Allow overseas stars to play for England – Lawes
By Mike Henson, BBC Sport rugby union news reporter
England selection should no longer be restricted to players based at domestic clubs, according to cap centurion Courtney Lawes.
The 37-year-old, who has signed a one-year deal with Sale after two seasons at Brive in France, is back in contention to add to his 105 England appearances.
A number of English players, including Jack Willis, remain in France and out of reach for England head coach Steve Borthwick.
"I can see why they do it because they don’t want all their players playing abroad, but I don’t think that’s necessarily going to be the case anyway," said Lawes. "It’s important that you have the best players available for selection."
He added: "If we want the game to develop and more people to watch it, I think it has to develop. ‘I just reckon you make your best players available and by any means necessary."
In addition to Willis, other English players playing in France include Tom Willis, Kyle Sinckler, Manu Tuilagi, David Ribbans, Billy Vunipola, Lewis Ludlam and Junior Kpoku.
England has better access to its players who are at Premiership clubs, who in turn benefit from central payments from the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and a greater chance of retaining their stars.
Other nations, like New Zealand, France and Ireland, have a policy of selecting only home-based players, while rivals such as South Africa, Australia and Scotland rely heavily on players based abroad.
Borthwick has opted not to include Lawes or his new Sale team-mate Joe Marchant, who has played for Stade Francais in Paris, in his first training camp of the season, asking them to prove themselves in the Premiership first.
Lawes, who played 80 minutes in a 50-28 win over Bath in the Premiership Rugby Cup on Sunday, told Rugby Union Weekly: "I spoke to Steve a little bit. It was just what I would expect – he knows I’m coming back and he’s going to keep an eye on me, but he wants to see me play in the Premiership first."
"I’ve spent two years away, let’s see how I go in the Premiership first, I’m not really thinking about England before I can get up and running for Sale so that’s there’s no point."
