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Edwards calls for a mid-season break

Friday 09th May 2008

Christmas holiday: Edwards has called for a three-week break in the season

Wasps and Wales coach Shaun Edwards has called for a mid-winter break in the Guinness Premiership so that English clubs can ease the workload in the Six Nations.

Edwards, who combines his Head Coach duties at Wasps with those of Wales' defence coach, has made a plea for a three-week break.

"Built into the Six Nations programme are a couple of rest periods," Edwards wrote in his Guardian column.

"There is almost a fortnight between England meeting Wales and then Ireland, and a similar period before the final game against Scotland - which would also benefit the guys who stay behind at their clubs.

"Three weeks without a game would give bodies time to recover as well as reduce the number of games played with weakened sides.

"I am not suggesting a slimmer programme, merely one slightly revamped with those 'lost' games played midweek, one home and one away, towards the end of the season. Our experience in the past month suggests it would be a winner in both rugby and financial terms.

"A combination of ice and gales cost us games against Sale and Newcastle which were rearranged and played when the elements were kinder. In both cases the better conditions led to cracking, attacking rugby and full houses. More than 10,000 were at Kingston Park on Wednesday, well up on Newcastle's average.

"Playing under lights has a special buzz that fans seem to appreciate almost as much as missing a Saturday or Sunday on freezing terraces or in storm-lashed stands. That extra bit of theatre would further enhance the excitement that builds towards the end of every season."

Aside from advocating midweek matches - which some argue dilute the entertainment as players have to be rested - Edwards also called for fixtures to be re-arranged so that derby matches are played in holiday periods.

"Over the last Christmas holiday a Leicester fan was faced with trips to Stockport and London, a Leeds fan was asked to go to Bath and High Wycombe," Edwards wrote.

"Next Christmas Worcester could and should be playing Gloucester, Bath-Bristol, Wasps-Harlequins, Northampton-Leicester, London Irish-Saracens and a bit of a trip I know Sale-Newcastle with the fixtures rotating, home and away, each year."