BBC SPORT | Rugby Union | English | Smith issues burnout warning



By Simon Austin BBC Sport Online

Northampton Saints coach Wayne Smith has demanded a longer close season "to preserve the future of the game".

The New Zealander says his players were exhausted at the end of last season and is unhappy they have been given only five weeks off before the start of the new campaign.

The former All Blacks coach thinks the end-of-season play-offs could be scrapped to give players more time off.

The players have had only had five weeks off - the window for recuperation is too small

Wayne Smith

Several of the Northampton squad are still carrying injuries from last season and were not able to play in the pre-season curtain-raiser against Stade Francais at Franklin's Gardens on Saturday.

Smith, who took over at Northampton last November, said: "My players were exhausted at the end of last season.

"A lot of our players had to have operations during the summer and are in various stages of repair.

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"Ben Cohen, Johan Ackermann, Andrew Blowers and Grant Seely will all miss the start of the season because of injuries.

"We had a lot of players involved in international rugby last season and were under pressure for a long time, first as we battled relegation and then when we were going for a top-eight finish.

"But the players have had only had five weeks off - the window for recuperation is too small. For the future of the game we need longer off."

Northampton Saints coach Wayne Smith
Smith says burnout is a problem throughout the world
Northampton were forced to play up until June as they reached the Zurich Premiership play-off semi-finals.

Smith thinks the end-of-season tournament should be scrapped altogether.

"The period of the play-offs could be used to give players a break," he said.

"They handicap the teams who are successful, because the top eight are playing more matches than the rest."

Smith said the problem of player burnout was not confined to England.

"There's the same problem throughout the world," he said. "The top players in New Zealand only get six or seven weeks off during the close season.

"Todd Blackadder played something like 35 games last season, which is far too many."


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