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Leagues and Governing Bodies

RPA Rejects Premiership Rugby's Proposal For Longer Season

The "brewing fallout" between Premiership Rugby players and the clubs escalated on Monday when the Rugby Players' Association "officially rejected plans for the new, longer season that had been presented to them by their employers," according to Owen Slot of the LONDON TIMES. The players were "astonished" to learn, in late March, that Premiership Rugby "elected to extend the domestic season." Under the proposal, the season "would still start in September but would end a month later in June." The RPA on Monday rejected the proposals. It is "some way off and there are a number of rounds of negotiation ahead, yet senior players have spoken about the possibility of resorting to a strike." Premiership Rugby argued that the proposal is a "good one." It contains a mid-season break and protects the maximum number of games that each player is allowed to play per season (LONDON TIMES, 5/22). In London, Paul Rees reported Premiership players said that the proposal "would have serious implications and unnecessarily add to their physical and mental strain." In March, World Rugby announced changes to the global calendar that would mean the domestic season in Europe starts a month later, in October, and lasts until the end of June rather than May. The Pro12 board "immediately agreed" to keep a three-month offseason and start its league at the beginning of October but Premiership Rugby said that it would "begin its campaign as usual in September." The RPA said in a statement, "The proposal had not been discussed with us. The RPA has always sought to work collaboratively with Premiership Rugby to address player welfare concerns. It therefore caused significant concern and disappointment to our members to learn of Premiership Rugby's plans to extend the domestic season via a press release. ... Perhaps most worryingly is the incredible strain these proposals would place on international players. If the Premiership season retains its start date, the addition of a July tour schedule will lead to an 11-month season for these players" (GUARDIAN, 5/22). The London TELEGRAPH reported the RPA said that extending an "already arduous season" from nine months to 10 has "huge implications" for players when training and psychological aspects of the game are assessed. The statement added, "The physical and mental strain placed on participants of professional contact sport cannot be underestimated" (TELEGRAPH, 5/22).

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