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Lightening the load Players should play less, claim leading coaches
LONDON (Reuters) -- International rugby union coaches from both hemispheres have expressed concern that players may burn out out because they are playing too much. In the middle of a series of fascinating showdowns between European teams and the southern nations of Australia, South Africa and New Zealand, two of the world's most experienced coaches have backed an idea to condense the international season into a a single three-month period. Australia coach Rod Macqueen, whose world champion faces England on Saturday at the end of its European tour, believes players are not getting enough time to rest. Macqueen would like to start the Southern Hemisphere international season in August or September after domestic competitions when the main north-south clashes take place. "If we talk medically, the players are not getting enough rest periods," Macqueen said in an interview. Scotland and former British Lions coach Ian McGeechan added: "My worry in the Northern Hemisphere in particular is that we are going to run out of top-class players. If you speak to any coach we believe that we, as a game, are not doing justice to our players at the moment." The Wallabies started their international season in June this year with tests against Argentina, before playing Tri-Nations tests against South Africa and the New Zealand All Blacks in July and August and then beginning their tour to Europe in November. Players from the Northern Hemisphere have also been playing tough tests against the southern teams in June after the end of their domestic season as well as a series of internationals in the European autumn and the Six Nations at the start of the year. Next year the British Lions, for example, are touring Australia after the end of this northern season. Macqueen hopes a compromise can be found which would suit both hemispheres. "We'd be starting (the international season) later and they (in Europe) would be starting earlier," he said. "That would put everything in line. Then the players would get some rest. "I don't think the Northern Hemisphere should come necessarily to our schedule. But I think, if we can get a schedule that suits both, it would be ideal because it's too much work at the moment for the players." Intensive Six Nations McGeechan, whose team were beaten by the Wallabies at the weekend, said the structure of the game in Europe needed to be changed so that all international players had one focus, rather than playing for their country one week and their club the next. The Scot, who coached the Lions to their historic series defeat of the Springboks in 1997, wants Six Nations tests to be played on consecutive weekends rather than every two weeks with club games in between. He believes the idea of bringing together the north and south at one time would boost the game. "Where the two seasons overlap, it would make a lot of sense to group the internationals so that we are all aiming for the same high points," he said. "Then the domestic season could work around that. "If we could do something like that, getting the players with that single focus, then it has to benefit... you cannot achieve it if you are involving players over 11 or 12 months a year." McGeechan said he would like the tests in the Six Nations to be played on consecutive weeks, either in a pattern of three together, a break, and then two together or vice-versa. But he added: "Whatever happens rugby is in very good shape at the moment. We have the potential for a very exciting sport which can only get better if it is managed well."
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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