New RFU chief Brown vows to listen to leading players over burnout concerns amid strike threat

Steve Brown, the English Rugby Football Union’s new chief executive, insists the concerns of players over the growing demands of the game must be heard and acknowledges the threat of strike action is real.

England players Billy Vunipola, Ben Youngs and Joe Marler have raised the possibility of going on strike in response to internationals facing an 11-month season as part of plans for the new global calender, which is to take effect from August 2020.

Vunipola, pictured, who on Sunday had a third major surgery in under a year, has been the most strident by claiming his body “could not handle” the physical toll and stating he would accept reduced income to play fewer games.

Brown views player welfare as the biggest challenge of his Twickenham reign, which began three weeks ago.

“We have no game if we have no players. Players have always been central to the RFU, but we need to bring it to the fore much more now,” Brown said.

“The players have a voice and we need to listen to them. I can see two things emerging. It’s not just the physical concerns, but also the mental demands and psychological pressures they are under. “We need to understand all that and understand it properly. If it [strike action threat] is genuine, then it’s a concern. We shouldn’t be in that situation in this country so we have to find a solution for it. It’s a concern and we can’t ignore it.”

The players’ gravest concern is over the prospect of a Premiership campaign that will run from September to June, with summer tours being held in August, thereby creating the unpalatable 11-month season for internationals.

Premiership Rugby claim the structure of the calendar will allow for breaks, but details are vague.

Seemingly at odds with Brown’s pledge to listen to the views of players is the RFU’S support for a club-led move to reduce the RBS Six Nations from seven to six weeks, a change that would ratchet up the intensity of the competition due to the removal of one rest weekend.

The idea – opposed by players – has been voted down and Brown said: “We did vote to support it because of our understanding of the overall calendar. It wasn’t supported, so it’s done. The decision was made,” Brown said. “We’re also listening to what the players are saying and they don’t like the look of the reduction.”