By Andrew Fraser BBC Sport

The Rugby Football Union is keen to ensure promising young English players do not have their progress blocked by a lack of first-team opportunities.

And Leeds chief executive Gary Hetherington told BBC Sport that he had been asked to join a task force to come up with a legally-binding quota system.

"They want the panel to be able to report as soon as possible," he said.

The committee has been given until April to come up with a proposal to force all 12 Premiership clubs to pick at least 17 England-qualified players in their 22-man squads.

It's essential that we continue to produce England-quality players Leeds chief executive Gary Hetherington

It will be chaired by RFU performance director Chris Spice and include Hetherington, Newcastle manager Rob Andrew, RFU academy director David Shaw and Premier Rugby manager Phil Winstanley.

The RFU, however, is mindful of the fact that overseas players could mount a legal challenge to any quota system.

Slovenian handball player Maros Kolpak recently brought a successful action through the European courts against restrictions at his German club.

"We have got to be extremely careful and get expert advice on what can and can't be done," said Hetherington.

Another problem for the committee will be to agree a solution which the clubs do not feel would compromise their ability to compete - or compromise their contractual obligations.

Rob Andrew has been asked to join the task force

"We need to go into it with a very open mind because everybody will be there with their own interests," added Hetherington.

"It's up to the clubs to make sure they retain their status in the Premier Division, and that will be at the forefront of everybody's minds.

"But at the same time we have all got a duty to provide England-quality players.

"Premiership clubs have certainly done that up to now by making players available and that was acknowledged by Clive Woodward.

"The partnership with the RFU bodes well for the future, but everyone has to be mindful because things can soon change in sport."

The RFU gives the clubs millions of pounds of funding each year, and Fran Cotton, who is chairman of the RFU's Club England sub-committee, insists the interests of the England team must come first.

A few good English players with the foreign mix is better than a lot of mediocre English players David South Have your say on Scrum V

"If we don't resolve this, England will not punch their weight at international level," Cotton told the Daily Mail newspaper.

"We will be flooded out by non-English players.

"Why pay in the region of �8m-�9m annually to fund overseas players when we all realise that the wealth-creator is the success of the England team.

"We want the quality overseas players. This is not a plan to get rid of these guys. What we don't want is to be flooded out by second-raters."