Players’ boss warns over new 11-month season
CHRISTIAN Day, chairman of the Rugby Players Association, fears Premiership Rugby plans for an extended domestic season are “a step in the wrong direction”.
Premiership Rugby last week welcomed agreement on a global season structure from 2019 which will see England’s topflight campaign begin in early September as usual, but then stretch a month to the end of June, with international tours following in July.
League boss Mark McCafferty claims the 32game limit for players will be maintained and that training loads will be managed better, but players have begun to voice concerns over the potential effects of what, for some, will be an 11-month season.
Northampton lock Day told The Rugby Paper: “Most players currently believe the season is tough enough as it is. Expanding to ten months, with the prospect of a summer tour additionally for internationals, certainly feels a step in the wrong direction.
“There are currently promises of ‘welfare’ but no explanation as to how this will be achieved.”
Day will demand answers, adding: “The standard contract signed by all Premiership players ensures a five-week break post-season but this will mean that the preseason training block, so important to season preparation and mental rest, is going to become incredibly short.
“It may possibly be non-existent for internationals so the prospect of a constant conveyor belt season is going to only add to the issues of mental welfare, which we recently highlighted as a real concern.” Former England wing Charlie Sharples, below, is Gloucester’s RPA rep and also has his doubts. Writing in his weekly newspaper column, he said: “I don’t see any positives for the players... from a player welfare point of view, especially international players, having an 11month season with the grind that entails is a real red flag.”