Millar (left) is worried about English clubs importing stars like Hayman

"For us, it is not very good to have all these foreign players in Europe," International Rugby Board chairman Dr Syd Millar told BBC Sport.

"How are we going to develop our own players? We're denying opportunities to British players.

"You have the example of the English soccer team. It's a huge problem and we've got to be very careful."

New Zealand stars Carl Hayman, Chris Jack, Rico Gear and Luke McAlister all moved to Guinness Premiership teams after the World Cup, along with South Africa fly-half Butch James.

Teams from the Magners League also attracted star names from the southern hemisphere, with All Blacks winger Doug Howlett signing for Munster and former New Zealand flanker Marty Holah joining the Ospreys.

Millar, the outgoing president of the International Rugby Board, says the combined impact of the signings could be to "decimate" sides like the All Blacks.

The guys would rather be at home, but the money is in Europe IRB president Dr Syd Millar

"We've had New Zealanders coming in after the World Cup," he said. "That will decimate those strong countries. Clubs (in Europe) should really be developing players.

"We've got to be very careful that we don't upset the balance so they are no longer major countries, competing at the top.

"The guys would rather be at home, but the money is in Europe. There's a huge attraction in coming to Europe - they don't have to travel, they get well paid and have already claimed their All Black jersey."

Millar said the IRB could not introduce quotas for homegrown players because European law prohibited them from doing so.

He predicts there will be "a continual flood of players" coming to Europe from South Africa, Australia New Zealand and Argentina.

Several players from South Africa's World Cup-winning side have joined French clubs, with John Smit, Percy Montgomery and Victor Matfield all moving to Europe.

606: DEBATE I'm sure those who support England above any club will agree more than those who support club before country? d1nkyp00

A spokesman for Premier Rugby countered that the proportion of English players in the Guinness Premiership had remained constant, at about 65%, ever since the game turned professional 10 years ago.

"The clubs want to produce players for England," the spokesman said.

"But you have to remember that they are also commercial organisations, and the ability to attract the Luke McAlisters and Carl Haymans is important for them as well.

"I think we've seen the calibre of foreign players in the Premiership going up over the years.

"There is also a new agreement between Premier Rugby and the Rugby Football Union that will financially reward clubs for the number of English players they have.

"Seven of the 12 clubs would already meet the qualifying mark (that an average of 14 of their 22-man squad be English-qualified over a season) to earn that incentive."

Millar, who will be replaced as IRB president by Bernard Lapasset early next year, is also worried that foreign owners could start to buy rugby clubs for purely financial reasons.

He asked: "What would happen if Russian millionaires started to invest in rugby? It has happened.

"When the game turned professional, people laughed at the thought of people even buying rugby clubs. Look where we are now.

"We're fortunate that most of the owners are rugby people, who like the game for not purely financial reasons, unlike some of these Americans and Russians (who have bought Premier League football clubs).