French Top 14 will dominate Heineken Cup semi-finals but there are four ways English rugby can hit back Who would not? I had played in that amazing Heineken Cup final a few weeks before at Parc des Princes, when we beat Stade 34-30, and I was flattered to be linked with such a great club. In the end, however, I chose to stay with Leicester Tigers. My wife Louise was expecting our first child and she was keen to stay close to her family. I said to the president: "Non, merci" and, to this day, I do not regret it. There is more to life than a few extra quid. In the 12 years since, we have seen French rugby grow and grow and grow in terms of its standing within the club game, or at least its standing within the financial world of sport. Money has been bandied around like confetti and players from all over the world have turned their backs on what they know and love to have a pop at the Top 14, as it is now known. This is a major headache for English rugby - and, indeed, in Scotland and Wales, too - but players should ensure that they look beyond the monetary rewards on offer. Yes, they will get more cash playing in France, but getting £500,000 a year is not exactly taking them into the world of top soccer wages. Maybe players need to think about the importance of winning trophies, too. It was a factor in my decision to stay and I would like to think it would be for those players in England who are considering it. I think it is more important to finish playing rugby with the satisfaction of knowing you achieved something rather than just keeping the bank manager happy. Remember the horror stories Did anybody blame Jonny Wilkinson for leaving Newcastle to go and spend his life in and around St Tropez? I think not. However, it is not all sun, sea and sand. Players have to have the desire to embrace the culture and lifestyle as Andrew Sheridan has done since moving to Toulon. It certainly was not all about money for him. He not only enjoys his rugby but the laid-back lifestyle, too. Others must remember, also, that if they fail to adhere to what is requested of them, they can fall from grace very quickly. I have heard some real horror stories in which players have fallen out of favour and have ended up not being paid. Add to that the fact that you will never get the same legal support in France as you do in England and it can be a real problem. I remember what someone told me once: "An Englishman will never win in a French court." It might sound a trivial thing, but these issues can be crucial. Rediscover the art of the attack I recall the time when Gallic flair meant exactly that. The forwards won the ball and the backs played with it. It was great to watch. Players who go to France these days will come up against a very different approach and style. Rugby in the Top 14 is incredibly attritional. It is a power-based game which is not to everyone's liking. Bash, bash, bash with the occasional moment of quality. "Gallic flair" is now an aperitif and not the main course and maybe that is why the French are struggling to fulfil the potential that is clearly there for all to see. This is where English rugby can seize the moment. I have been quite critical this year of the narrow-mindedness of certain teams and the somewhat boring style adopted by too many in the Premiership. Win the line-out, box kick, chase, turn over the catcher and then attack. It is hardly inspiring. If we have a genuine desire to make the Premiership a place where the top players want to play, we need to restore the traditional values of rugby. We need players to have the same values they had as a child. Play rugby the right way and there is little reason to go to France and become embroiled in a 16-man arm wrestle. Restructure the Heineken Cup As we speak, the European Cup is not played out on a level playing field. There are so many contrasting rules and regulations governing the game in the six countries that it is almost impossible for the teams to be competing on equal terms. I agree with the salary cap in England, but maybe that should be altered for teams competing in the Heineken Cup. Do not ask me how that can be done because it is not my field. However, I am sure it can be and I am sure it would help. We cannot continue with the situation as it is, which is just totally unfair. And if we do allow it to continue, it will only get worse. Austin Healey is part of ESPN's live coverage of the Aviva Premiership throughout the season. ESPN is lead broadcaster for the league.