Toulon and former Wales flyhalf Dan Biggar has raised considerations in regards to the toll of a South African leg on European-based gamers within the Investec Champions Cup.
“Final weekend, together with my Toulon teammates, I spent 32 hours on flights simply to get to South Africa for our first recreation of this season’s Champions Cup,” Biggar wrote in his Every day Mail column.
“It was a savage journey to Port Elizabeth,” added the 35-year-old, who made 112 appearances for Wales between 2008 and 2023. Biggar particulars Toulon’s journey itinerary which included an extended bus journey and three flights.
“We arrived at 5pm on Tuesday, however the gamers have been so knackered we solely had one correct coaching session earlier than the sport.”
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The veteran Toulon flyhalf famous that gruelling journey schedules on a brief turnaround leaves gamers totally drained and unable to carry out at their peak, an issue made worse by the Champions Cup’s format that sees European golf equipment make the journey to the Republic for one match, versus the Vodacom URC’s two-match go to which he believes is a extra sustainable method in comparison with flying midway internationally for a single recreation.
Biggar proposed adopting an analogous schedule within the Champions Cup to mitigate the pressure on gamers and keep away from conditions like final season, the place groups fielded weakened sides because of the journey calls for.
Whereas acknowledging the advantages South African groups carry to northern hemisphere competitions, Biggar confused these benefits shouldn’t come on the expense of participant welfare or the standard of the match.
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