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Welsh rugby must have more foreign players if the Regions are to close the gap on English and French clubs in Europe, Ospreys boss Andrew Hore has argued.

The Blues, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets are permitted six non-Welsh qualified players in their squads, with two extras deemed to be players serving time before qualifying for Wales on residency grounds.

But Hore says the limit needs to be increased if the Regions are to close the gap on rivals from other countries.

“We need to have more flexibility on the number of foreign players in Wales because the current situation is not working,” Hore told the South Wales Evening Post .

“At certain times of each season we are finding our resources stretched to breaking point and it really shouldn’t be like that.

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(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)

“In England around 35 per cent of players in the squads are foreign on average, while in France that figure rises to around 40 per cent.”

Hore believes the Ospreys are at a disadvantage because so many of their players spend so long away with the national team – at senior and age-grade level.

“We have a situation where people are effectively being punished for producing players for the national team and the under-20s,” said Hore.

“That really can’t go on.

“We take huge pride in players from this region playing international rugby but you have to set in place a system that is fair to everyone. This isn’t just about bringing in foreigners for the sake of it. It is about reacting to circumstances.

“The Ospreys are finding player numbers are too low locally and at certain points in the season we are hopelessly stretched. Until the local player base expands it would help hugely to be allowed extra flexibility over the recruitment of overseas personnel.

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(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency)

“It just seems at the moment we don’t have enough players to pick from in the community and yet we are restricted compared to our rivals when it comes to looking further afield — damned if we do, damned if we don’t.”

Hore insisted developing homegrown players is not a process the Ospreys need to be schooled in.

He added: “No one needs to tell us about the importance of growing the game locally.

“We have supplied around a third of all Wales internationals since 2003 and want to continue in that vein. But until that shortfall of players is properly redressed we need more flexibility on overseas player numbers.

“It could be that regions who supply the most to the national team are allowed to bring in more overseas guys. Whatever, something needs to be done.”

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