Resistance to the Rugby Football Union and Premier Rugby's proposed changes to the Six Nations and domestic schedule "grew louder on Monday when the Welsh Rugby Union became the latest body to voice serious concerns over player welfare," according to Sam Peters of the London DAILY MAIL. WRU CEO Gareth Davies joined Scottish Rugby Union CEO Mark Dodson and Rugby Players' Association Chair Christian Day, "along with a host of directors of rugby, in raising doubts" over proposals to play the Six Nations inside a six-week window while extending the Premiership season to 10 months. Davies said, "We will not be supporting the reduction to the Six Nations weeks. We have consulted with players -- they are key in all this with player welfare meant to be a key priority -- and the general feeling is that this will place greater pressure on them." Premier Rugby CEO Mark McCafferty insisted that "by losing one fallow weekend and significantly reducing the number of clashes" between Six Nations games and Premiership fixtures, players "will be afforded more rest opportunities before an extended run" into the Premiership final at the end of June. RPA execs will meet with McCafferty and other senior Premier Rugby figures this week "looking for cast-iron assurances they will be afforded adequate time to rest during the season with strike action a possibility" (DAILY MAIL, 4/4).
