Suits vs Players?

[strawclearer]

With apologies/thanks to Sky for blatantly copying...

Saracens and England No 8 Billy Vunipola has warned players may be forced to go on strike if the number of games played by leading clubs is not reduced.

Vunipola has revealed his body "could not handle" the physical demands of playing for club and country and believes drastic action may be required if the current situation is to change.

"Everyone complains that they keep pushing the salary cap up but we need more players. It's not about money, it's about the toil we're put through," Vunipola told The Times.

"Something is going to give. Something might happen where we follow the NFL or NBA, where they had a lock-out."

"I'm not saying I'm going to start it, but I feel like something needs to happen for the suits to realise these guys are serious."

"It comes down to how much we play. My body could not handle it. I might think I'm strong and tough but I'm not. I just got worn down."

"The suits are always talking about it but they have never played nine months in today's rugby. It's something I would love to change - play less."

We could be cynical and suggest Billy is simply trying to push the cap up but I'd suggest that would be disingenuous. Who are the 'suits' - Boards? TV Execs? RFU/Premier? Where do the guys in Tracksuits stand - the Coaches?

What are the options? Play less? Recruit more? Rotate better? Regulate? Restructure? The only option not available may be to maintain the status quo!

[Coops]

He's got a book out hasn't he - so obviously needs the attention.

Does he realise that if he plays less games, the club may reduce his salary?

Probably better suggestion rather than pushing the limits of the salary cap would be to pay less, clubs recruit more players and rotate better. Thereby giving all clubs a chance - rather than a handful of big clubs with big pockets running the show.

[GETHIN EXILE]

I'm sorry but he gets paid well for playing sport so should realise that he is in a privileged position. If he really can't take the physical side of the game he should retire

[BFG]

I have to agree with Billy V and it'd be silly to ignore from a top player like that.
Talking from experience my lad is a seriously competitive player, he has had several months off doing other things and he looks so well for it and he has kicked on in so many other things, even his personality.
He loves playing and has had the occasional guest appearance even turning out once for a rugby league side and I've not seen him so happy for a long time, as a result when he plays he plays a blinder.
At the end of the day these are people and not money machines.

[ourla]

I thought these days they had all sorts of staff and gizmosirty to monitor the wellbeing and fitness of players. So there should be independent evidence of this fatigue?

[BFG]

I thought these days they had all sorts of staff and gizmosirty to monitor the wellbeing and fitness of players. So there should be independent evidence of this fatigue?

There is no substitute for the evidence from family and friends IMO, they should be listenened to IMO.
I don't think this is a case of trying to get more for less and as a club considering the amount of injuries we have suffered in recent times we should know more than most!

[GETHIN EXILE]

I'm sorry but professional players should remember that previous generations had to hold down a full time job, train on their own time and regarded international call ups as an honour and were not rewarded for the honour. It seems that many of them want to have their cake and eat it. It's not as if internationals have to play all 22 league games

[BFG]

I'm sorry but professional players should remember that previous generations had to hold down a full time job, train on their own time and regarded international call ups as an honour and were not rewarded for the honour. It seems that many of them want to have their cake and eat it. It's not as if internationals have to play all 22 league games

I get that and been there and done that but it doesn't mean we should put them through it today just because we had to.
There is an argument that the game has gone a little soft and to answer this I'd say firstly if we want the game to survive the do-gooders then we simply have to ease up a little and secondly I wouldn't call Billy V soft at all, if there is an example of a player that will run through brick walls for you then he is it.
These players play with immense physicality all over the pitch nowadays, backs as big as forwards, and we never played as much anyway!
I saw some nasty injuries but the pressure wasn't quite the same, players broke back then but they didn't break down!

[Noddy555]

I think Vunipola has a fair point, but if he expects the suits to give a damn then he is sorely mistaken.

[ellis9]

Saracens have a squad of 39 players. They then have 18 academy players.
That's 57 players to pick from!

Anyway, I wonder if Vunipola and his team mates would all take a 25% pay cut each so that Saracens could use the money saved to get more players?!

[tigerburnie]

Injuries and fatigue are something that is totally different to a decade ago, never mind when players had a day job. This game is totally different in it's physicality and intensity, at 6 foot 4 and 16 stone I was a big lad in the pack back then, there's scrum halfs nearly that size now. If this is more than one player, then it should be investigated.

[GETHIN EXILE]

I don't know about players being bigger as there have always been big players the school under 16's side in my year had a front row with a total weight of 51 1/2 stone which is heavier than a lot of current teams. I think a lot of the problems are due to players not expecting to play the full 80 minutes so they don't know how to pace themselves and manage the game better. In my day you were lucky to get 5 minutes for half time.

[h's dad]

I don't know about players being bigger as there have always been big players the school under 16's side in my year had a front row with a total weight of 51 1/2 stone which is heavier than a lot of current teams. I think a lot of the problems are due to players not expecting to play the full 80 minutes so they don't know how to pace themselves and manage the game better. In my day you were lucky to get 5 minutes for half time.

You may well be right about schoolboys that you know. England players are 14% heavier than they were 20 years ago. NZ players are 16% heavier than they were 30 years ago. Go back another generation and the weight increases are in excess of 25%. Interestingly props, although still getting heavier, have started to get shorter at the top levels.

I would hope players are trained to pace themselves for however long they are expected to be on the pitch and for this to be planned in advance but looking at some performances, doubt may be cast on this. Five minutes for half time is probably still the norm for park/school/junior rugby where players seldom troop off the pitch.

[JohnI]

So yourself as a fan. If there were only 11 games a season and 5 or 6 at homes would you still feel the same with having so many free weekends with no rugby?
If the players wages aren't reduced would you still pay the same price for your ticket ? Don't think so.

Agree with the number of games that players are playing in a season may but on the edge but f the RFU will continually play autumn internationals as well as 6 nations then these international players are going to play a lot more.

Autumn internationals every year are good to see but not essential if players safety is to be considered.

Notwithstanding that then increase squads and take drop in pay due to reduced game time. As said above we all choose our profession and anyone who says that money isn't an influence is kidding the self.

[ellis9]

What if the profession pays minimum wage?