THERE is never any shortage of lipservice paid to player welfare, which is why it is hard to explain the clandestine manner in which the Premiership season has been extended by a week with the final, invariably scheduled for the last Saturday in May, moved this season to June 1.
This stealth extension by the Premiership/RFU stretches the season from 39 weeks to 40, and with it there will be repercussions relating to international windows, and player fatigue.

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