England last night added their objections to those of the rest of the world's top players by threatening to boycott the match between the northern and southern hemispheres in Cardiff next November.
Even though the contest was agreed by all the major unions at an International Rugby Board meeting in Dublin last month, players from England, France, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa have branded it as an unnecessary addition to an already overcrowded fixture list.
The IRB had arranged for the first meeting of the hemispheres to be played at the end of the tours by the three Sanzar nations to Europe, despite November 30 having been earmarked for a meeting between Australia and South Africa at Twickenham. The International Rugby Players' Association yesterday called on the board to think again.
Damian Hopley, the chairman of the Professional Rugby Players Association, yesterday said he did not expect any of the England squad to take part in the match.
"I am not sure that their clubs would release them anyway," said Hopley. "As this is not a proper international fixture they would not be advised to but the implicit meaning behind the IRPA statement is that there will be a player boycott.
"The board needs to have second thoughts about this. It recommended that leading players take an eight-week break at the end of a season but that will only happen if fixtures are reduced, not increased, and is the best way of helping the poorer nations to arrange another game? We are doing some research into player burnout. The anecdotal evidence shows that the shelf-life of players is getting shorter and there are serious implications which those running the game need to take stock of."
The chairman of the South African Rugby Players' Association Rob van der Valk added to the opposition to the fixture, calling the IRB "irresponsible".
The fixture had been arranged by the board to raise funds for developing nations following fears that the South Seas unions in Samoa, Tonga and Fiji would be forced to merge because they are chronically short of funds.
Wasps' captain Lawrence Dallaglio has missed most of the current season because of injury and he will be forced to pull out of England's match against the Barbarians later this month and the summer tour to Argentina if he needs an operation to repair ligament damage in his hand.
"I will play for Wasps this weekend and see how it goes," said Dallaglio, who is due to captain England. "I do not want to make that dreaded telephone call to [the England manager] Clive Woodward having fought my way back after a serious injury."
The former England second-row Garath Archer may be on his way to Bridgend from Bristol with the Llanelli lock Scott Morgan set to return to the Memorial Stadium, while the Bath flanker Mark Gabey is joining Worcester at the end of the season.
The Borders, the new Scottish district team, have announced the names of 17 players who will join them for the start of next season and next week hope to announce their most high-profile signing in Gregor Townsend, the Scotland and former Lions stand-off who helped Castres to the semi-finals of this season's Heineken Cup.
· You've read the piece, now have your say. Email your comments, as sharp or as stupid as you like, to the sport.editor@guardianunlimited.co.uk.
