SOUTH SYDNEY chief executive Shane Richardson last night revealed the club had approached the management of French rugby star Sebastien Chabal to inquire about the possibility of the "Caveman" playing a portion of this season with the club.

News of the approach provides an intriguing twist to the growing story of NRL players switching to French rugby, with St George Illawarra star Mark Gasnier to be confirmed today as an enormous catch for the Stade Francais club.

"We looked at Chabal at the start of the year," Richardson said. "You've got to look outside the square sometimes, if you want to be successful, and we believe that if Chabal wanted to play some league he would be a success.

"He's got pace, he's strong, and he really rips in with his defence. You've got to look harder to find a union forward that could switch to league and be successful than you would to find a back, but Chabal would have great potential. We weren't able to work anything out with him, but it was worth a try."

Not surprisingly, considering the approach to Chabal, who plays for English club Sale Sharks and the French national side, Richardson said there was merit in Dragons chief executive Peter Doust's suggestion that NRL players should be allowed to play union in Europe if it meant them staying in the NRL as well.

"That sort of discussion is good for the game," Richardson said. "I don't think the physical toll on outside-backs would be too bad. Give players the chance to earn more money like that, if it will help keep them in our game.

"It might lead to us getting something back the other way. If you were able to bring out a European rugby star for four or five months for a guest stint with a league club it could really add some colour and excitement to the strong product that we already have."

Former Eels halfback Peter Sterling, who played a league off-season with English club Hull FC in 1985, said the fact Doust was thinking outside the square should be applauded.

"I'm deeply concerned about how many players we have lost [overseas]," Sterling said. "And I don't think it cuts it to say someone else is there to take their spot. I'd much rather have Mark Gasnier here in some shape or form than have him gone completely.

"The big problem is it's going to have a huge toll on the players' bodies, if they did it for more than a couple of years. Still, I'd much rather be exploring things like that than saying, when Mark Gasnier's gone, 'Well, someone will take his spot'."

Experienced Bulldogs, NSW and Australian team doctor Hugh Hazard said it was possible league stars could get away with playing half a year of rugby on top of that without running themselves into the ground.

"[But] it would depend on how big the training load was in union and how often they played," he said. "If you're talking about forwards doubling up, it would obviously be much more difficult, but for wingers, centres and fullbacks it is something they could possibly handle."