The rfu support the national team and therefore any players chosen for the England developement squad have a percentage of their salary paid to the clubs by the rfu, this is to compensate for their time away from their club mid season.
In some cases when the England coach identifies a player in RL that he would want clubs are able to sign him by prior arrangement with the rfu. This is what happened with Robinson and what caused some of the problems between the clubs and the rfu. I am not saying this has happened with Eastmond but it does and will happen.

great idea,let's do it !

Have we forgotten Mansfiled Marksmen already?

Were they funded by the RFL in a competition with a salary cap and a non promotion clause ?

With a higher dual registration allowance and a reasonable overseas quota for 5/6 years things might have been different

Have we forgotten that until then Sheffield was outside the RL area? Mansfield were badly run, Sheffield had Gary Hetherington. Nuff said.

Now you are upsetting me Joe