‘The gap’s getting bigger’: The changing face of English rugby

RugbyPass reports that the pipeline of rugby league players converting to English rugby union has completely dried up this decade. While previous decades saw prominent cross-code stars like Jason Robinson and Chris Ashton, former dual-code international Ashton believes the gap between the sports is expanding as the NRL actively recruits young English talent with lucrative guaranteed contracts.

Ashton stated that shifting codes has become an unnecessary risk for modern players, with rugby union clubs reluctant to spend the time required to develop converts. He emphasized that the financial appeal and clear pathways of the NRL are convincing young rugby league stars to remain in the 13-man code.