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Saracens Director of Rugby Mark McCall has expressed major concerns over the workload that international players are subject to.
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McCall has witnessed first-hand the impact of a busy schedule for players, with the likes of Maro Itoje, Jamie George and Owen Farrell coming off the back of a British & Irish Lions tour and into a busy domestic and European calendar with Saracens, followed by a three-Test June series in South Africa with England.
In an exclusive interview with Jim Hamilton at the recent Premiership launch, McCall believes that it could lead to a shortening of careers if something isn’t done.
“It is the international players that ‘A’ tend to play most and ‘B’ tend to get the smallest pre-season’s and off-season’s. We think that the playing programmes are OK.
“Our issue is these are the players – who in terms of their physical development windows – get the smallest windows. They come back to the club at the end of July or the start of August and they are playing rugby by September and everyone else is getting 10 weeks and they are getting 4-5 weeks to physically develop and eventually that is going to catch-up and we’ve got to find a way to give them some longer off-season’s and longer pre-season’s, or we’re just going to reduce the length of their careers.
“It is the very, very best players who need the best protection.”
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In other news: Jaco Kriel questions Super Rugby’s future
In March last year World Rugby announced a deal over a global rugby calendar which will come into force in 2020. It retains the current international windows for the Rugby Championship and Six Nations, but the June internationals will be moved to July, while the November international window will be brought forward by a week. World Rugby has said it’s with player welfare in mind, but McCall has reservations about it.
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“There is a changing season about to progress and go into motion after the World Cup, whether that helps the international players I am not sure yet. It is going to break up the Premiership season, there is going to be less conflicts with Premiership games and international games, but whether it is going to help the international players and some of the issues that exists with them I am not sure yet.”
He knows first-hand how injuries take their toll, last season Saracens struggled for periods of time, including a seven-match losing run before Christmas.
“We definitely had an injury rate which affected us at times (last season). The international windows are always challenging for us and we felt we had recruited a squad that would be very competitive during those international windows, but a lot of those players Vincent Koch, Michael Rhodes, Will Skelton broke his arm, injuries to the players that we couldn’t afford”
Defending Premiership champions Saracens have won the domestic title in three of last four seasons. They’ve only brought in three new players, London Irish duo Alex Lewington and Tom Woolstencroft, while David Strettle returns from Clermont and McCall points to the reasons for club’s consistency.
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“The success that Saracens has enjoyed over the last eight years has been down to some of the continuity that there has been, with the staff and playing group. I think having a settled group can go one of two ways, you can get too comfortable and you take shortcuts and you go through the motions, then I think it is a bad thing. But if you have continuity and with a settled group that are also motivated and hungry and want to get better then it can be phenomenal and hopefully we have the latter and not the former”, he said.
“Most of the senior players are young, it is incredible to think that people here driving the club are 26 or 27 years old who want more. it is a World Cup year and they are individually motivated as well, so fingers crossed that combination of continuity and stability and the motivation that exists within the group will take us somewhere.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
Leinster are going to win the world cup.
13 Go to commentsSuper Rugby desperately needs to lose at least 2, but up to 4 teams. Rebels quietly going bankrupt would have made that a bit easier. Teams like the Rebels and Force serve only to weaken Australian Rugby and Super Rugby more widely. In 13 years in the comp the Rebels are yet to win more games than they lose in a season, have never finished in the top half of the competition, and have come dead last a number of times. The Western Force, barring a brief stint of mediocrity under John Mitchell from 2007-2009 have been even worse. Sadly it’s hard to see a future for Moana Pasifika in Super Rugby. Likewise I think the writing is on the wall for the Highlanders, it’s hard to see how NZ rugby can continue to support 5 SR teams, and population distribution suggests one team in the south island would make the most sense.
42 Go to commentsNice that Connor Evans is happy to stay on here, that JD Schikerling is returning and Steven Kitshoff. Dobbo is careful to bring back just anybody but having a new financial lease of life, it has made the Stormers a more attractive club. On top of being good quality, having the financial backing helps a lot
1 Go to commentsEngland-qualified too, I believe.
1 Go to commentsThis might turn out to be emblematic of a real issue in Irish rugby. Ireland have one of the best -if not the best - senior sides in the world, and one of the best under 20s sides as well, but don’t seem to be giving graduating under20s players many opportunities to break through into URC starting lineups. There is a risk that a lot of the junior talent they are developing will either be wasted, or lost to other nations.
1 Go to commentsYou ask good questions, Nick. The group who have put together the proposal to play out of Tarneit and participate in the growing of the ground’s capacity are not a bunch of white knights who have been dragged in post-crisis; they were around whilst the Rebels accummulated $23m in debt. Why do we come up with ideas that might make the franchise affordable after it’s broke and not when it might have prevented the trainwreck this offseason was? As for Gordon/Kellaway v Lolesio/Wright, they are both good options. I think the former are better rugby players but the goal kicking of Noah may be decisive when Schmiddy makes his choices. I know Harry Jones has the hots for Edmed but I think it’s one of his few poor choices and he and Jorgensen aren’t close to the other pairs. By coincidence, the wife and I went into town over the weekend to watch Brian Cox and Patricia Clarkson in Long Day’s Journey into Night. Beautifully acted but it was 3.5 hours in the chair and very hard work. Like the Rebels, there were only small bursts of joy to go with a lot of bad news and a depressing story line. In the end, I was hoping it would end and I could give my sore butt a break. Again, familiar.
42 Go to commentsGood decision, very good player but not international quality. But so was Jamison Gibson Park …..
3 Go to commentsLoose forwards always look good going forward and winning. It’s the same loose forwards for the Crusaders and the Canes this year as last year. Too much of the shiny new things getting noticed here while older consistent ones getting bagged. It’s early days. Calm the farm.
6 Go to commentsThanks Nick, and on the money. We tend to be apathetic until something REALLY BAD happens, then we aren't! At least this applies to the Reb players and coach, if not the spectators. They seem to be getting very quick ball at times. Have they altered something, or is it just all of the skills coming together at the right time? It seems almost the opposite of the Reds, who started the season with quick ball, but haven't been showing that in the last 3 losing games. Is it attitude (McDermott hasn't looked “right” to me for 3 weeks), or something else?
42 Go to commentsGood summary. As said, Sevu Reece has been electrifying for the Crusaders. Great try and he has been everywhere. Amazing he is now equal with Caleb Ralph , club record of 52 tries for the Crusaders. That record beckons. Good to see Dallas McLeod getting regular starts at last. A big few weeks are ahead.
6 Go to commentsGood article/interview.As was said Christian Lio-Willie was barnstorming when he came on for the Crusaders. What happened at the end, self-explanatory.Captain fantastic Scott Barrett is due back soon as well, once they are back from Aussie. Great to see Ethan Blackadder back last week.
1 Go to commentsYou must have been watching one team, Andrew - and even then you missed the brightest star in the Chiefs pack - Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 2 turnovers, genuine line-out presence and grunt around the field, and the soft hands of a back.
6 Go to commentsHaha what a crock of sh!t these headlines are. Moorby’s best year was that first. Still doesn’t seem to have the same game about him as when he was fresh but has bounced back well this season to be playing consistent tight accurate footy
3 Go to commentsIt’s even dumber than Bernard Foley not kicking the penalty to touch in the Melbourne Bledisloe in 2022.
3 Go to commentsYes, they are traveling well but it’s early days. The Chiefs were in front with 20 to go while they snatched a last minute win v the Reds. Keep calm.
1 Go to commentsThe failure of the Irish system / rugby playing style to produce their own backs has them looking elsewhere for innovation and flair - not that Jordie has much flair. He’s a converted fullback. The Canes have plenty of other younger options.
13 Go to comments1.Watch Wallace Sititi be the wild card AB. A genuine full time no 8 2. Luke J like Sotutu has not delivered. 3. Chiefs have all the right cattle but badly miss the leadership of Webber. LJ is about as unconvincing as Sam Cane when under the pump. They had the winning of that game in the second half then fell apart.
6 Go to commentsYes the Rebels are showing signs of life because they are literally playing for their live -lihoods and thanks to their Australian attack coach. However they are still playing an essentially dull boring south african style for the rest of the time. And Geoff Parling must be the most useless lineout coach ever. Worse than Steve Hansen even. Interestingly we are starting to see more cheap shots and attempts to get away with cheating by Australian players, now they are being influenced by Joe Schmidt. It was exactly the same when Rennie started out as Wallaby coach and thru his tenure. Trying to teach Australians to play like kiwis doesn’t work, as the last 20 years has conclusively demonstrated. Especially when we are not as good at it as kiwis. Which of course is the whole idea …..
42 Go to commentsGreat signing, not sure where he’ll fit in though. As for him ‘playing alongside RG Snyman, that’s highly debatable given the likelyhood that the latter will spend most of the season on sick leave.
13 Go to commentsWowee!
13 Go to comments