shhhhh... some people on here don't deal in reality.

Protectionism, like all market distortions, tends to have unintended consequences that are often undesirable. Our rules are already pretty restrictive.

The major issue is money, not policy, IMO. Many other professional sports leagues have had to adapt to relative poverty. Dutch and Portugese football for example - they don't get rid of all their imports to hold onto a van Persie or Cristiano Ronaldo. They continue to develop good players, but realise the best will leave. And they have competitive international teams, if that is the concern. Of course, they just leave the country rather than the sport - Briscoe going to the NRL is better than him going to RU at least.

Footballs played all over the world RL is played in 3 countries. It also has transfer fees of substance.

Tony Smith?

It's not a perfect comparator, I admit. On the other hand, [iplayers[/i participating is more meaningful than [icountries[/i. There may only be (Eastern) Australia (and to a much lesser extent NZ, plus France), but the scale there is much bigger than here.
We tried an import ban and it wasn't an unequivocal success by any means.
I want the best league possible not the most British. There is a balance to be struck, so I don't mind the non-fed rule, but in anthing that is meant to be elite, promotion by passport and going into our shell will tend to lead to stagnation and mediocrity.

We only got one season of him at the KC (or at least I think we did)

Yeah, but he was the last proper SH we had. Or at least, the last one who played more than a handful of games.

I'd be lying if I said I remember him that well, too many

since then!

You'll have to convince me which clubs these are, as IMO London aren't the only team offering less than Catalan to SL. I had my doubts when they first started up, but they've won me over and deserve their place in SL. Anyone who still doesn't think so can only be doing so out of stubbornness.

They have a very good side, play excellent, exciting, skilful RL, produce their own (i.e. French) players, are now promoting their own coach, have a strong home following, and have their games televised every week in France to promote the game. They are entirely fulfilling the reason for their inclusion.

If they aren't the sort of club we want in our game then we're just asking to be consigned to the semi-pro ranks played on a school field watched by a couple of dozen when the weather's ok.

Cas, Wakey, KR to name but three.