THE LAST WORD

THERE should be a ban on the well-worn phrase ‘player welfare’. It is invariably a lie and a sham. Rugby wants to be seen to be looking after its protagonists, but that principle has gone out the window now the sport has been plunged into survival mode. Some leading players will go without a meaningful break for 12 months when this disrupted season resumes. The Premiership’s England contingent will be back in action on the weekend of August 14-16 and those who go on the Lions tour will barely pause for breath until August 8 next year. They may be given the occasional week off but it is not the same as a proper, extended period of time to switch off. The grind will be so relentless that some will crave a minor injury to provide respite. Others will be lured by shorter campaigns in Japan or the southern hemisphere. And the English Lions will do well to operate anywhere close to their peak in South Africa.