Too much rugby for everyone

There was a time when visits to these islands by the All Blacks, Wallabies and Springboks were a rarity. About once every 10 years, sometimes less frequently, the South Africans, New Zealanders and Australians made tours of Ireland and Britain.

Occasionally in addition one or other of those countries would undertake short tours to two of the four home countries or come for special occasions such as the IRFU centenary in 1974-75 when the All Blacks made a tour of Ireland that embraced an international.

The visits of the major rugby powers from south of the equator were greeted with eager anticipation. The fact that the tours were infrequent added to the appeal and the novelty value. But there is evidence as the visits grow more frequent, that, in fact, the appeal is diminishing. For instance when last the Wallabies and Springboks played Wales in Cardiff, the ground was not nearly full. There was a time in the not so long ago when tickets for an international in Cardiff were like gold dust. That is still the position for matches in the Five Nations Championship, as it is at all the other venues. The championship is still the jewel in the crown in these islands.

It may surprise many to know that Lansdowne Road has never been filled to its capacity for a match against any of the three southern hemisphere countries. The novelty value has long gone.

The All Blacks, undoubtedly the best team in the world, come here to play Ireland at Lansdowne Road on November 15th. Their visit is eagerly awaited especially in view of their recent achievements. I hope there will be a full house. A look at the international calendar over the coming weeks is revealing. New Zealand will play England twice and also meet Wales in Wembley on a 13-match tour. On the same day that Ireland meet New Zealand, England take on Australia at Twickenham and France play South Africa. These are changed times indeed with all three southern hemisphere countries touring these parts simultaneously.

Is there now too much international rugby? The evidence suggests . . . yes. England's itinerary is to say the least awesome in the coming weeks. After playing Australia, they meet New Zealand at Old Trafford on November 22nd South Africa at Twickenham on November 29th and New Zealand again at Twickenham on December 6th. That is a graphic illustration of the new order - four internationals in the space of 22 days against opponents of that calibre.

It is about money I am afraid more than game propagation. That itinerary is crazy and is it any wonder that the English clubs are protesting. By the time the England players are finished with that little lot, they go back to their clubs. Will they be fit and eager for the demands of the domestic league and be able to give value for their pay? Even some of the powers in Twickenham are now doubting the wisdom of that itinerary.

Now let us take a look at South Africa. They play Italy and then go on for a two-Test series against France, on November 15th and 22nd, England on November 29th and Scotland at Murrayfield on December 6th. The Springboks come to Europe after the super12 series, after the Lions tour and the Tri-Nations series and their own domestic provincial championship, the Currie Cup.

The All Blacks were also involved in the super-12 series, two warm-up internationals for the Tri-Nations tournament as well as the Bledisloe Cup, the Ranfurly Shield and provincial championship. The All Blacks played 10 Tests last summer. The Australians, in addition to touring Argentina, also play England and Scotland.

As soon as those southern hemisphere players return to their own countries, it is back on the treadmill again. Both Ireland and Wales tour South Africa next summer, England tour New Zealand and play two Tests. There is also an international due against Australia on the return journey and attempts are being made for a further Test against South Africa en route for home. Scotland tour Australia.

Quite simply schedules like that cannot continue, and unless some semblance of sanity is restored, players are going to be burned out, many of them well before they are 30, especially when one takes into consideration the intensity and demands of representative rugby.

Then bear in mind that the World Cup takes place in 1999. I wonder how many current internationals will have reached the point of no return by the time that comes around. We saw what happened at the end of the Lions tours last July.

I stood at Johannesburg airport with the England players who had to travel to Sydney to play Australia two days after the final Lions' Test. They were exhausted and none of them had any appetite for what was being asked of them. Not surprisingly England got comprehensively hammered in Sydney - they just did not have the physical strength or alertness of mind for what was being asked of them and it was readily understandable.

Several national coaches including John Hart and Brian Ashton have made it clear that they are unhappy that players are being asked to play too much and fear burn-out, mentally and physically. That apart the game is being saturated with international rugby and there is disturbing evidence that we will in the future see grounds no more than half full for the type of matches that in the past would have had people clamouring for tickets.

The situation in the southern hemisphere cannot continue. Up to this point, the position in these islands has bot been as bad, but is moving towards the same trend. There are demands on the players to cause anxiety. Already all the provinces have played 12 matches between warm-up games, interprov incials and the European Cup and Conference. I hope Connacht will be playing three more.

However understandable the desire to see the provinces play more matches, there are very definite difficulties and here is why. The All-Ireland League starts next month and the clubs require their interprovincial players. If you strip the clubs of those players, the league is diminished in value from every possible perspective as would be the case in all the fivenations countries. This is not New Zealand or South Africa - we do not have their kind of playing bases. In any case the clubs here, or in Britain for that matter, would not tolerate it and rightly so.

But that fact apart, a lot of the interprovincial players will be engaged with Ireland at different levels over the coming months. Let us take next month for a start. On November 12th, the Ireland Development team will play the Exiles at Thomond Park. On the 15th comes the international against New Zealand; on the 26th Ireland A play Canada at Ravenhill and on Sunday 30th Ireland meet Canada at Lansdowne Road.

Ireland travel to play Italy on December 20th. Then in the new year there are the four internationals in the FiveNations Championship, four A and four under-21 matches.

In May, Ireland undertake their seven-match tour of South Africa including two Tests. This means Ireland will play nine full internationals between next month and June. Players can only take so much and there is a limit - or should be - as to what is asked of them.