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International Rugby Board (IRB) president Bernard Lapasset has called for greater unity within the sport after the club-versus-country row over England flanker James Haskell.

Haskell's club, Stade Français, demanded the player be released for its domestic clash with Toulouse last week but England kept hold of him, with Haskell saying he was covered by a release clause in his contract.

The row escalated with Stade talking of possible legal action before the flanker put the situation down to a misunderstanding.

Asked about possible solutions to the ongoing issue, Lapasset said: "It depends on the economy. The solution is not a sport solution, it is an economical solution and that is the problem really.

"We need to work together more and more because I know in England they have some trouble – I've seen the press and some information and the economic situation is very fragile. It is also in France but not as much.

"More and more we need to [achieve] a common solution together to manage this process and issues such as the number of clubs, number of players, how many foreign players are allowed in sides.

"We have different issues in front of us to discuss with the clubs and the unions [but] the economy comes first in the professional system."