Clubs in cash boost to help avoid rugby burn-out

The 12 Zurich Premiership rugby clubs are each to be given £250,000 to increase the size of their squads in an attempt to address player burn-out.

While the league has been a commercial and competitive success, it has been recognised it may not have been so beneficial for the national side.

England backs Charlie Hodgson and Mark Cueto, who played against France on Sunday, will be in club action for Sale on Friday night against Leeds, while their international team-mates will return to club duty on Saturday or Sunday. The Ireland and Wales squads will have the weekend off. "We recognise the need that the size of squads needs to be larger, which is why clubs will have an extra £250,000 on top of the salary cap which will rise next season to more than £2million," the chief executive of Premier Rugby, Howard Thomas, said.

"A three-year study has been commissioned into the issue of burn-out and the welfare of players has to be of paramount importance.

"There have been a number of high-profile injuries, but it is not clear whether they are related to the number of games played."