Thewlis wants to see more players like academy graduate Michael Lawrence

Huddersfield Giants managing director Richard Thewlis says is it vital Super League clubs reduce the number of non home-nations players.

Rugby Football League rules allow eight non-federation players in a squad, but that number will be reduced.

"We don't want to get rid of overseas players all together as many have been great servants to our game, " Thewlis told the Super League Show.

"But the overall aim is develop a lot more British players."

Another new RFL regulation is that a Super League team includes six club-trained players in their first-team squad.

That number will have to increase as the seasons go on.

That's exactly what we have at Huddersfield at the moment, we have just five players who are not qualified to play for the home nations Huddersfield Giants managing director Richard Thewlis

Thewlis explained: "The idea of this is that in the future the majority of players in a squad will have come from the local area and been developed through the club's academy.

"It is not something that will happen over night, but it is something we all have to strive for.

Rugby League fans can watch the Super League Show again on the BBC's iPlayer or via the Red Button.

"In essence we will be down to just five overseas players in four or five years.

"That's exactly what we have at Huddersfield at the moment, we have just five players who are not qualified to play for the home nations."

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