I just struggle to see a scenario where rugby doesn't end up like soccer in Australia - where most of our best players are playing overseas, and we build our own A League type competition.
But in recent months I've been thinking maybe that's not so bad. While we'd lose the very best players we'd keep many very good players and also attract very good players from overseas, because there really isn't that many decent paying professional rugby contracts in the world.
I was reading a comment on The Roar (dangerous I know) which made me think.
If Soup did completely fall on its arse and we had player from 5 countries all pushing for contracts in Europe or Japan,
when would the markets reach saturation point???
The A League will continue to be a feeder comp because every country in Europe has a stronger league which pays more. Even 2nd division in England or Germany pay more. Then you have China and the American MLS.
In Rugby not so many. And like in France, they will realise it hurts their national teams and may cut down on foreigners eventually (Brexit could see an example before our eyes).
But as mentioned, with the A League, feeder comp or not, they have tribalism, and i'm sure the FFA doesn't give a shit if the best players are playing here as long as the big names come back to play for Oz.
When they can get 80,000 to Oz vs UAE or 'A League All Stars' vs a Liverpool B team, I'm sure they're laughing all the way to the bank.