Shaw calls for rethink

England lock Simon Shaw believes the drive for rugby players to become bigger and stronger has seen skill sacrificed and "gym monkeys" emerge.

Shaw insists the sport is suffering from the emphasis on size over technique as England prepare for their autumn schedule without six certain starters - all lost to injury.

"There is an argument that people are spending too much time in the gym, creating more of an athlete than a rugby player," said the 36-year-old Lion, who hopes to be fit to face New Zealand on November 21. "But there is a limit to how far you can stretch your body. There's a lot of pressure, especially on the young guys coming through, to be fitter, stronger and faster."

The absentees include an entire front row and an alarming number of shoulder injuries, reigniting the debate over player welfare that raged during a brutal Lions tour to South Africa just four months ago.

It has been suggested that the human body is struggling to meet the demands of the modern game, particularly in the tackle area.

Shaw, himself returning from a fractured metatarsal and likely to miss England's first two Tests against Australia and Argentina, has called for a rethink.

He added: "It makes them train harder in the gym to be physically stronger than the player who is currently holding that position.

"But they should look at guys like Lawrence Dallaglio and Serge Betsen.

"Serge Betsen is not the strongest man in the world, he doesn't lift a lot of weights. He's not even the fittest guy on the training pitch.

"But when he goes out playing he never stops - he's got an incredible engine. Lawrence as well was never that great in the gym. We shouldn't be trying to create gym monkeys with technique, we should be trying to create rugby players."