NRL won't risk cap to
save stars

NRL chief executive David Gallop says he is willing to risk losing representative stars such as St George Illawarra centre Mark Gasnier to rugby union if it means preserving the salary cap.

Gallop says the NRL will not relax its rules to keep the likes of Gasnier and fellow internationals Anthony Minichiello and Willie Tonga from switching codes. He says the salary cap is responsible for creating one of the most even competitions in the game's history, and he is not willing to jeopardise that to retain one player.

Dragons three-quarter Gasnier is believed to be in talks with Australian Rugby Union officials about a switch next season, with rumours of contracts worth up to $750,000 a season said to be on offer.