This week has the Premiership rugby’s salary cap rise by £500,000 to £5m.

The move is seen as an attempt to try and bridge the gap between English clubs and their counterparts across the channel.

However, as the French big spending continues, will this increase make any difference?

In domestic competition this rise in spending power could create a divide between the clubs that can afford to keep up with the every increasing wage packets and those who just don’t have the financial backing.

The Aviva Premiership is a league in which promotion and relegation still takes place.

Those who gain promotion from the Championship have a short turn-around before commencing pre-season training and often find it difficult to pull together resources when most of the transfer business for the upcoming season completed months before.

They do not have the same finances as a club in the Premiership and only receive a minute fraction of central funding in comparison.

How can a newly promoted club compete with the likes of Saracens who have the capacity to spend the whole up to the limit?

The rise in spending power that has now become available to the Premiership clubs is said to allow them to bolster their squads.

In an ideal world this would free up funds to by a few more players in areas they are needed, for example, a decent tight head prop, something that is seen as gold dust in modern times.

However, what is there to stop existing players simply demanding higher wages?

Clubs could end up in a situation where they are unable to make additions to their squads because they are simply trying to keep hold of the individuals they already have.

The salary cap may have increased but this does not make playing in France any less attractive.

The possibility of a change in lifestyle and playing with some of the best players that not only Europe but also the world has to offer is a massive draw to many and who can blame them?

Rugby is a short career and you would grab every opportunity that came your way.

Only time will tell if the new £5m wage cap will make any difference, but it seems that it might just be the latest chapter in the ongoing politics surrounding European rugby.