Player burn out

[Herefordpropforward]

Apologies for starting a new page but I didn't want to post on the England page and be accused of intruding or on the Wales page and be accused of triumphalism However, there is an issue arising from the weekend which many of us have kicked around for some while and that is player burn out. Ross M played out of his skin on Saturday and is clearly moving on in his development. Beddis in a reply queried whether the lengthy rest he had with us last season contributed to this and on reflection I believe this to be pertinent. I thought that many of the England players looked tired and off the mark last Saturday and we mustn't blame them for that. Robshaw is a classic - what a warrior but clearly his body has gone too far and needs a rest. Why not develop a formula for these top lads along the lines of three years in the front line and three months off? May be every hone country will eventually move to central contracts? Just a thought. Meanwhile the Welsh young guns relished the chance to show their potential.

[chris1850]

As with every major sport, there is just too much of it played without allowing sufficient recovery time. The insatiable greed of the various sporting bodies is to blame.

[adam]

The fault doesn't just lie with the sports bodies - you only have to look at the comments on here when a "second" team is fielded for a match. It's the punters that want to see the top players, the sports bodies allow it to happen...

[Lewi7]

There is also the matter of what coaches do with players in between matches, ie: their training, R&R etc.

[robs1]

There is also the matter of what coaches do with players in between matches, ie: their training, R&R etc.

I agree if young lads cant manage 80 minutes a wk its a poor job, its the training that is taking the toll, as much as i dislike bruce craig he is right to complain about players getting injured on england training too.

[Peanutcoxy]

It’s a vicious circle and as always comes down to money. Clubs have players paid within a salary cap. Salaries going up due to player/agent greed (who can blame them though). To ensure decent squads and to make ends meet, squad sizes must reduce. Clubs want value for money so play players as much as they can (can’t blame them either). International duty brings in already fatigued players and trains them even harder for preparation for tournaments (can’t blame them either). Lions tours every 4 years make it even harder. Increases in the salary cap is unsustainable in the long term so unless salaries are reduced (unlikely due to supply and demand; someone will always pay), squad sizes can’t increase. Dual contracts work for Ireland, Wales and Scotland because of smaller numbers of clubs. Power in England rests with the clubs and the compromise with England rugby is payment offsetting the salary cap. Are players burnt out? Yes of course they are, but I believe that has been brought about by their own financial demands and in return their paymasters wanting their pound of flesh.

[Phil W]

I was thinking the same about this, with the Lions players I think they should've been given the summer off to rest. After that though Faf De Klerk didn't look tired and it's very rare Sale don't play him for the full eighty. What I do think is managing players when they arrive in the England camp probably needs to be looked at. I'm sure it was the Rugby Pod i was listening to and they said with Billy Vunipola you don't flog him during the week you manage him and make sure he's ready for the Saturday. Jones' idea of flogging them during the week to be Test Match ready seems a bit old school to me.

From other stuff I've listened to and read pre-season is too long, Bristol have been back over a week already when Saracens and Exeter had only just played the final, I know they want to be ready for season having come up but maybe some sort of timetable as a start of pre-season which the clubs have to adhere to so the players have a break in the off season would be an idea.

[ROLLO]

I am rather old fashioned, summer is cricket and winter is rugby.

[Kinga]

there is a simple way to resolve Player burn our.

Limit the maximum number of domestic games a player can play in one season. That limit only needs to be on league games.

if you set a limit of 15 league games a season then players can be rested throughout the season. European games/playoff and internationals should be excluded. If all the leagues agree to this then the problem is resolved. (Prem/Top 14/Pro 14/Super Rugby)

But it will never happen as there is too much money talking these days.

But it would open the door to some of the academy players to get more pitch time.

[Wise Words]

if you set a limit of 15 league games a season then players can be rested throughout the season

Ah but my team has been eliminated from European competitions and we are in fourth place in the league. My best players have played their allocated 15 games and I want them to play in the last game of the season to secure the play-off place.