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Wallabies face demanding schedule ahead of 2011 Rugby World Cup
By Iain Payten
September 17, 2010 The Wallabies face their most demanding schedule next season, playing up to 23 first-class games with no rest in preparation for their Rugby World Cup assault.
The heavy workload is part of coach Robbie Deans' plans to have his troops well and truly battle-hardened by the time the tournament kicks off in September.
The revelation comes as Super rugby embarks on a major overhaul next season with 18 rounds followed by three weeks of finals.
ARU chief executive John O'Neill said the subject was addressed when he attended a lunch on Monday with Deans and Wallabies skipper Rocky Elsom.
"That was the question, 'is there going to be too much rugby next year?'," O'Neill said.
"And Deans' response was that's exactly what we need - more rugby.
"The idea of resting players is not on, it's not on our agenda."
The Australian sides each have up to 19 Super rugby matches and then there are four Tri Nations games.
"If the co-operation we are looking for across the five franchises continues as we expect it will, the players will arrive in the Wallabies squad in July and August ready to play," O'Neill said.
"Fit, rugby ready and well prepared for the World Cup."
O'Neill said previously Australia had compensated for the shorter Super 14 competition by playing more Test matches.
But the big problem was a lot of European countries sent out understrength sides to Australia for the June internationals.
All that will change under the new format, which marks the biggest shake-up to southern hemisphere rugby since 1996.
"I think going forward the shopfront is Super rugby and the Test matches go back to being the jewel in the crown," O'Neill said
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,...016959,00.html