IN response to Jeff Probyn’s article about him not understanding why there are four team play-offs at the end of the season: I, too, used to think that was not right until I looked at who was playing in the Six Nations and other international games. There were a number from Saracens, Wasps and Harlequins for example which meant there were times when those teams were not playing with their full compliment of top players.
Teams that had all their players for the full season could practice as a team and maintain consistency throughout the season. Teams that have a large proportion of the...