Moves to wean Super League off overseas imports are having an immediate impact with a 12 per cent increase in home-grown players already confirmed for 2008.

The RFL last year set in motion plans to reduce the number of foreign players in the domestic game with each outfit allowed just five by 2011.

However, clubs are quickly making moves now with the number of overseas players dropping by six per cent ahead of the new campaign that starts when Leeds tackle Hull KR on Saturday night.

The figures were released at Super League's official launch at Old Trafford where chief executive Nigel Wood confirmed that champions Leeds and fellow Grand Finalists St Helens lead the way when it comes to producing England-qualified players.

All but five of the Rhinos' 24-man squad are eligible to play for England in this year's World Cup, while Saints could provide 21 out of their 27-strong squad.

At the other end of the scale, Hull KR have 11 overseas players in their 26-man squad, while the Bulls have actually increased their number by one to ten.

Bradford, meanwhile, can count 15 players who are eligible for England but that doesn't include the anomaly of Simon Finnigan.

The new winter recruit from Salford is classed as an overseas player, having been brought up in Australia and only moving to England four years ago.

However, he was born in Warrington before emigrating as a child and holds a British passport so could play for Tony Smith's side if selected.

The same rule applied to former Bulls hooker Ian Henderson, who has since moved to New Zealand Warriors. He too would be counted as overseas under new rules despite being born in Torquay.

The number of overseas players has dropped to 29 per cent following the introduction of a new club-trained player rule.

By 2011, each club must have ten such individuals on their books and they constitute players who have spent three years or more at the same club as a junior.

In Bradford's case, it currently includes Sam Burgess, Jamie Langley, Paul Deacon and also Paul Sykes who, despite just re-signing from Harlequins, originally came up through the Bulls Academy.

Those signed from other English clubs are classed as Federation. The Bulls have six including Andy Lynch, Chris Feather, Michael Platt and Terry Newton.

Lynch would be classed as a club-trained player for Castleford, having come through the ranks there, with Newton down as Leeds, Feather for Wakefield and Platt as Salford.

"It is fantastic that in World Cup year that so many of our top sides are built around young English talent," Wood said.

"Not only are they getting the opportunity to play at the highest level but they're also benefiting from playing alongside and opposite some of the best overseas players in the world such as Trent Barrett and Matt King.

"This will not only aid their personal development but will further boost the national team."

Figures also released show that eight of the 12 Super League clubs, including the Bulls, are likely to reach the maximum spend under the salary cap this year, compared to just three in 2002.

League officials predict that in 12 months' time all clubs will have reached the maximum £1.65million, which created a further levelling of standards across the competition.

"The one word you can't use to describe engage Super League is predictable," said Wood.

"Compared to other sports, you can't predict the results that will happen each week and it's virtually impossible to guess the six teams who will make the end-of-season play-offs.

"New clubs are breaking into the top six and the gap between all 12 clubs is closing which is delivering great contests."

  • Start or join a debate on this issue in our online forum - Click here