Aviva Premiership
Premiership not heading overseas
January 10, 2011
Mark McCafferty, Chief Executive of Premier Rugby pictured during the press conference held at Twickenham in Twickenham, England on November 15, 2007.
Mark McCafferty has ruled out the possibility of an overseas Premiership game © Getty Images
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Aviva Premiership chiefs have ruled out taking a league game overseas after Wasps announced they would tackle Anglo-Welsh Cup opponents Harlequins in Abu Dhabi later this month.

Wasps will host Quins in the United Arab Emirates on January 30 but Premiership Rugby chief executive Mark McCafferty says it is not an avenue that is being explored in terms of top-flight English league fixtures.

"I don't think we will take the Premiership there," he said. "We wouldn't take a competition that people care fanatically about there - it would be wrong to take that away from supporters.

"It is the national championship at club level, and that would take it out of the core market."

McCafferty, meanwhile, underlined the desire to continue developing home-grown playing talent as the Premiership is seemingly braced for a potential influx of overseas stars after the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand later this year.

"We are not in the market for the most highly-paid players in the world," he said. "It is about developing home-grown talent, not overseas talent, and these academy players are really beginning to make their mark."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

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