Brian O ’ Driscoll believes Roman Abramovich style investment is needed to turn English clubs back into a European force but admits that scrapping the salary cap would be dangerous . With the French league becoming a honeypot for billionaire financiers – comic book tycoon Mourad Boudjellal has used his chequebook to turn Toulon into double European champions – the gulf between clubs from the Aviva Premiership and the Top 14 is bigger than ever . Saracens are the only English team featuring in this weekend ’ s Champions Cup semi-finals and , with the west London side being major underdogs against Clermont Auvergne , Ireland legend O ’ Driscoll believes the domestic game needs to readdress the balance . Brian O ’ Driscoll believes huge investment is needed to turn English clubs back into a European force . O'Driscoll says it 's a money issue for English sides and they need Roman Abramovich style investment . ‘ When you walk about French dominance , the teams are coming from France but the players aren ’ t , ’ said O ’ Driscoll . ‘ It ’ s a money issue – players are not just moving to France for a tan . The English utopia is that each club gets a Roman Abramovich , who makes it their little pet . ‘ Then they are able to extend salary caps and attract better players . That married with the best of the English academy players coming through – of course they ’ d then be competitive again . But certain English clubs are being squeezed and the cap is there to save them . Not many clubs are profitable and you have to be careful because the long-term picture could be trouble. ’ While Toulon have flexed their financial muscles by recruiting international stars such as Brian Habana , Matt Giteau and Leigh Halfpenny , English clubs have found themselves priced out of the market for southern hemisphere superstars . The trend looks set to continue after the World Cup , with All Black trio Dan Carter , Ma ’ a Nonu and Conrad Smith among those already signed up by Top 14 clubs . Clermont , who face Saracens in Saint Etienne on Saturday , have an impressive raft of imports including Jonathan Davies , Zac Guildford and Napolioni Nalaga . The Massif Central outfit , according to O ’ Driscoll , are the best club to never have been crowned European champions and should be the favourites for the title . New Zealand 's Dan Carter has already signed with Racing Metro for after this year 's World Cup . Saracens ( pictured training this week ) are the only English team left in the Champions Cup . Among those expats is full-back Nick Abendanon , who shone in the quarter-final victory over Northampton . O ’ Driscoll believes that , along with Toulon flanker Steffon Armitage , the Englishman should feature in this year ’ s World Cup - calling for the RFU to activate the ‘ exceptional circumstance ’ clause geared towards overseas players . ‘ From a player point of view : yes they should both be be picked , ’ said BT Pundit O ’ Driscoll . ‘ They are the players playing the best at the moment and you pick on form . But when you set out your stall early and you then have to backtrack a bit , I don ’ t know if you lose a bit of face . You create your own stick to be beaten with . ‘ It ’ s better to have guys coming in during the autumn than guys coming in now for the August matches : hurry , hurry , get to know one another , get some chemistry . That ’ s difficult . But class is class . What is the balance you go for ? Personally , I think you play the best players. ’ Watch Clermont Auvergne v Saracens exclusively live on BT Sport 1 this Saturday from 2.30pm . BT Sport is the only place to watch top live matches from the European Rugby Champions Cup , Challenge Cup and Aviva Premiership .
Brian O'Driscoll laments lack of money in the English game . The French league has become a honeypot for billionaires . Comment number 10.