I do have some sympathy with TVOC's position on this and agree with him that it does not appear to be in the spirit of what was intended. However I can live with it, as we are not breaking the rules. But if we win the GF next year it may just take the tiniest edge of the pride I have felt the last three years.

I would have preferred to have signed an English centre or, better still, retained Smith, rather than sign an overseas player. However, this is not the first time we have used 'loop-holes' around the quota: the old quota system used be 3 and we had 7 in the 2004 squad. I don't think our success that year was tarnished and any success in 2010 won't be either. The problem is that the RFL's quota rules on overseas trained etc. don't seem watertight which is why they caved in so easily and allowed exceptions soon after they introduced them, presumably because they wouldn't stand up to legal challenge. Idealistically, I think tvoc is right and, as I said, I would have preferred to buy British, but practically, I don't think anyone can blame any club for building the strongest squad possible taking advantage of whatever 'loop-holes' are available. The RFL needs better rules, perhaps.