Lying on a beach somewhere?

I suspect that many pro players will have buggered off to some foreign hot-spot and chillaxing.

Less fortunate will be the NH SIs' squads who will be packing their suitcases for a less-than-optimistic tour below the line.

When and how do these guys recharge their batteries?

Never

Dan Cole has made 32 club and international appearances since the start of the season. As we can probably add 3 more to the list, that is far too many.

That's true Tiger. The bloke must be knackered, but he's a real work horse isn't he?

or

LondonTiger wrote:Never

Dan Cole has made 32 club and international appearances since the start of the season. As we can probably add 3 more to the list, that is far too many.

But Castro gives him a break for most of his club games.

Cole has started playing the majority of matches, with castro coming on around 50. Still a bloody hard season though

How do they recharge? They don't. Season is too long with too many matches and no true recovery time. That's why some of this generation of players who start their professional careers young will end them young. I sincerely doubt we will see the likes of Martyn Williams and Somon Shaw in the future. Shame.

Ah bless em, they get payed all this money to go to work every day, oh hang on wait a minute, they only play for an hour and a half a week and then train for the rest of the week for a few hours, what about people who hold down real jobs and try and fit as much rugby as possible in during their spare time ? Put it this way, if I was getting paid over 100k a year for playing rugby I would have to check every know and then if I wasn't dreaming or worse in Heaven, these boys should thank their lucky stars they have been given this opportunity to get paid for doing something they love. What is thirty two games a season ? That's about 416 hrs a year's work, that's what it is, lucky they are not under ground on the coal face, the rest of us have to do about four times as much as them.

LordDowlais wrote:Ah bless em, they get payed all this money to go to work every day, oh hang on wait a minute, they only play for an hour and a half a week and then train for the rest of the week for a few hours, what about people who hold down real jobs and try and fit as much rugby as possible in during their spare time ? Put it this way, if I was getting paid over 100k a year for playing rugby I would have to check every know and then if I wasn't dreaming or worse in Heaven, these boys should thank their lucky stars they have been given this opportunity to get paid for doing something they love. What is thirty two games a season ? That's about 416 hrs a year's work, that's what it is, lucky they are not under ground on the coal face, the rest of us have to do about four times as much as them.

This sort of comment always gets my goat.

The players never complain that they are worked too hard - but we as fans expect to see them playing their best. The body needs time to recover from the impacts and stress of sport. You cannot just tell it to perform - so for it to be at it's best adequate rest is needed. This is one of the reasons that Wales and Ireland so carefully manage the playing load of key players.

Jason Leonard once said that as an "amateur" he was unable to work on Monday's or Tuesday's as he could not move his body properly till at least 3 days after a match. As a Pro the intensity was raised and it was often not until the thursday training that he could start to take a full part. It is tougher in the front row admittedly - but even in the back row your body took a battering. My last season at Bedford (the last I tried to play every week) was tough as my body had never recovered by the next match and by the end of the season I moved like an old man when the adrenaline of playing was not present.

Even call centre workers would need more rest if every 5 minutes of their shift they were poleaxed by a 19 stone polynesian.

LordDowlais wrote:Ah bless em, they get payed all this money to go to work every day, oh hang on wait a minute, they only play for an hour and a half a week and then train for the rest of the week for a few hours, what about people who hold down real jobs and try and fit as much rugby as possible in during their spare time ? Put it this way, if I was getting paid over 100k a year for playing rugby I would have to check every know and then if I wasn't dreaming or worse in Heaven, these boys should thank their lucky stars they have been given this opportunity to get paid for doing something they love. What is thirty two games a season ? That's about 416 hrs a year's work, that's what it is, lucky they are not under ground on the coal face, the rest of us have to do about four times as much as them.

Ah nonsense. Absolute nonsense. You don't clock off being a professional player.

You have a "real job" working 9-6 in an office then clock out and go for pints and kebabs on a Friday evening. Not a chance that option is available. These guys are told what to eat, what to drink, when they go on a night out they are conscious the media is always watching and having a few beers too many and doing something silly could actually cost them a job.

You might work Monday-Friday. They will be expected to be available 7 days a week whether it is for recovery sessions, tactical analysis, weights, pitch sessions as well as the match day itself. It is not 90 minutes of work. You are told to be awake at a certain time, to be in bed the night before at a certain time and the physical and mental demands on these guys far exceeds anything we do as a hobby. When you play a match that kicks off at 2pm you can get up at 11am and be at the ground for 1pm if you want to.

Then they have promotional work they have to do as part of their team, attend fan events etc. I have played on teams and often lads can't make it as they are away for 2 weeks with the missus, or have their kids birthday party or have some other thing which means a lot to them. They aren't options for the professionals.

They are obviously chuffed to bits but they work as hard as anyone.

David Flatman's Independent article

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-union/news-comment/david-flatman-summers-here-so-its-time-to-start-worrying-about-relaxation-7791443.html

red_stag wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:Ah bless em, they get payed all this money to go to work every day, oh hang on wait a minute, they only play for an hour and a half a week and then train for the rest of the week for a few hours, what about people who hold down real jobs and try and fit as much rugby as possible in during their spare time ? Put it this way, if I was getting paid over 100k a year for playing rugby I would have to check every know and then if I wasn't dreaming or worse in Heaven, these boys should thank their lucky stars they have been given this opportunity to get paid for doing something they love. What is thirty two games a season ? That's about 416 hrs a year's work, that's what it is, lucky they are not under ground on the coal face, the rest of us have to do about four times as much as them.

Ah nonsense. Absolute nonsense. You don't clock off being a professional player.

You have a "real job" working 9-6 in an office then clock out and go for pints and kebabs on a Friday evening. Not a chance that option is available. These guys are told what to eat, what to drink, when they go on a night out they are conscious the media is always watching and having a few beers too many and doing something silly could actually cost them a job.

You might work Monday-Friday. They will be expected to be available 7 days a week whether it is for recovery sessions, tactical analysis, weights, pitch sessions as well as the match day itself. It is not 90 minutes of work. You are told to be awake at a certain time, to be in bed the night before at a certain time and the physical and mental demands on these guys far exceeds anything we do as a hobby. When you play a match that kicks off at 2pm you can get up at 11am and be at the ground for 1pm if you want to.

Then they have promotional work they have to do as part of their team, attend fan events etc. I have played on teams and often lads can't make it as they are away for 2 weeks with the missus, or have their kids birthday party or have some other thing which means a lot to them. They aren't options for the professionals.

They are obviously chuffed to bits but they work as hard as anyone.

Excellent post Stag.

Gibson wrote:

red_stag wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:Ah bless em, they get payed all this money to go to work every day, oh hang on wait a minute, they only play for an hour and a half a week and then train for the rest of the week for a few hours, what about people who hold down real jobs and try and fit as much rugby as possible in during their spare time ? Put it this way, if I was getting paid over 100k a year for playing rugby I would have to check every know and then if I wasn't dreaming or worse in Heaven, these boys should thank their lucky stars they have been given this opportunity to get paid for doing something they love. What is thirty two games a season ? That's about 416 hrs a year's work, that's what it is, lucky they are not under ground on the coal face, the rest of us have to do about four times as much as them.

Ah nonsense. Absolute nonsense. You don't clock off being a professional player.

You have a "real job" working 9-6 in an office then clock out and go for pints and kebabs on a Friday evening. Not a chance that option is available. These guys are told what to eat, what to drink, when they go on a night out they are conscious the media is always watching and having a few beers too many and doing something silly could actually cost them a job.

You might work Monday-Friday. They will be expected to be available 7 days a week whether it is for recovery sessions, tactical analysis, weights, pitch sessions as well as the match day itself. It is not 90 minutes of work. You are told to be awake at a certain time, to be in bed the night before at a certain time and the physical and mental demands on these guys far exceeds anything we do as a hobby. When you play a match that kicks off at 2pm you can get up at 11am and be at the ground for 1pm if you want to.

Then they have promotional work they have to do as part of their team, attend fan events etc. I have played on teams and often lads can't make it as they are away for 2 weeks with the missus, or have their kids birthday party or have some other thing which means a lot to them. They aren't options for the professionals.

They are obviously chuffed to bits but they work as hard as anyone.

Excellent post Stag.

Now then fellas, don't be starting that nonsense - Stag you goes on holidays for a living and Gibbo, it's about time you got off your shapely orse and got a fecking job ya beauty.

I'll back you up LD. These guys lives are dedicated to play rugby. They train, eat breath to play the game, they are paid to do so.

I don't think asking a pro player to play 30 games in a season is unreasonable.

PJHolybloke wrote:

Gibson wrote:

red_stag wrote:

LordDowlais wrote:Ah bless em, they get payed all this money to go to work every day, oh hang on wait a minute, they only play for an hour and a half a week and then train for the rest of the week for a few hours, what about people who hold down real jobs and try and fit as much rugby as possible in during their spare time ? Put it this way, if I was getting paid over 100k a year for playing rugby I would have to check every know and then if I wasn't dreaming or worse in Heaven, these boys should thank their lucky stars they have been given this opportunity to get paid for doing something they love. What is thirty two games a season ? That's about 416 hrs a year's work, that's what it is, lucky they are not under ground on the coal face, the rest of us have to do about four times as much as them.

Ah nonsense. Absolute nonsense. You don't clock off being a professional player.

You have a "real job" working 9-6 in an office then clock out and go for pints and kebabs on a Friday evening. Not a chance that option is available. These guys are told what to eat, what to drink, when they go on a night out they are conscious the media is always watching and having a few beers too many and doing something silly could actually cost them a job.

You might work Monday-Friday. They will be expected to be available 7 days a week whether it is for recovery sessions, tactical analysis, weights, pitch sessions as well as the match day itself. It is not 90 minutes of work. You are told to be awake at a certain time, to be in bed the night before at a certain time and the physical and mental demands on these guys far exceeds anything we do as a hobby. When you play a match that kicks off at 2pm you can get up at 11am and be at the ground for 1pm if you want to.

Then they have promotional work they have to do as part of their team, attend fan events etc. I have played on teams and often lads can't make it as they are away for 2 weeks with the missus, or have their kids birthday party or have some other thing which means a lot to them. They aren't options for the professionals.

They are obviously chuffed to bits but they work as hard as anyone.

Excellent post Stag.

Now then fellas, don't be starting that nonsense - Stag you goes on holidays for a living and Gibbo, it's about time you got off your shapely orse and got a fecking job ya beauty.

True bud true. Looking at contracts in aul Dubh Linn. May even get me Leinster season ticket back for next year if it comes off. Yo!

On the topic, these guys go through some ridiculous punishment. The game has got far more physical than ever and their careers are short. Some are cut short prematurely. Some with awful consequences for the rest of their lives.

That fella BOD, he's a mentalist.

They get paid phhokall compared to diving, cheating, girlie wendyballers. And tennis players. And padded American footballers. They deserve all the shekels and rest they get. Just my opinion.

Gibbo. You could get a part-time job in Horeseguards Parade this summer.

There might be some girlie beach volleyball players who are in need of intensive physio...

Portnoy wrote:Gibbo. You could get a part-time job in Horeseguards Parade this summer.

There might be some girlie beach volleyball players who are in need of intensive physio...

OK Port, I'll take it! How much do I pay?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8uqqk2dlXQ

Gibson wrote:

Portnoy wrote:Gibbo. You could get a part-time job in Horeseguards Parade this summer.

There might be some girlie beach volleyball players who are in need of intensive physio...

OK Port, I'll take it! How much do I pay?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8uqqk2dlXQ

Keep your pecker up Gibbo. This summer might me chilly.

A bit of perspective - I know coal miners and steel workers who've died doing their profession for a fraction of the wage. Ask them if they would prefer being professional players for 30 games with dedicated medical and Physio staff.

Geez