Writing in the Irish Independent, Peter Bills fears that South Africa might be stretching themselves too thin by signing up to a 14-Test schedule.
"These players are being flogged all around the world on the back of a nightmare schedule. Could it be that is something to do with their union's desire for ever greater cash flows for their business? Is this not an increasingly familiar tale in the world of professional rugby?
"Ireland's players should be grateful that there appears to be much more common sense in their union. The IRFU have arranged 11 Test matches this year, plus a fixture for an Ireland XV against the Barbarians. But of the top players, the likes of Brian O'Driscoll, Rob Kearney, Jerry Flannery, Stephen Ferris, Tommy Bowe and Jamie Heaslip, I'd guess they will play no more than nine or 10 Test matches in the year.
"That is enough, given the extreme physicality of this game these days. Unless, that is, you put financial profit ahead of the players' welfare. But surely, no one in world rugby would do that? Would they?"
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