Biggar's one-off matches rant on the mark

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MARK KEOHANE applauds veteran playmaker Dan Biggar for questioning the current pool stages scheduling of the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup.

The Toulon and former Wales flyhalf raised concerns in his Daily Mail column about the toll of a South African leg on European-based players in the Champions Cup.

Biggar supports the participation of South African teams, recognising their impact on elevating the EPCR competitions to global prominence. However, he critiques the logistics of European teams undertaking long-haul travel to the Republic, or vice versa, during the group stage.

Writing for TimesLIVE, Keohane commends Biggar for his balanced perspective on South Africa's inclusion in the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup.

Keohane highlights Biggar's suggestion to group fixtures more logically, such as scheduling back-to-back away games for travelling teams.

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He aligns with Biggar's call for change, criticising the current system where teams like the Sharks and DHL Stormers are forced to field weakened squads due to injuries or prioritising other competitions.

"Thank you Dan Biggar for saying what every player thinks. Yes to South Africa in Europe; no to one-off matches.

“He calls it like he sees it, not how he believes his teammates, club owners or the Welsh public would like to see him call it.

"His view, so on point, was that South Africa was staying in the competition, whether people liked it or not. And he was full of praise about South Africa's positive contribution to all competitions up north.

"What he spoke about was the madness of one-off matches, when teams travel 30-plus hours to get to South Africa or go up north, and a playing schedule in which more obvious playing science should be applied."

Photo: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images

The post Biggar’s one-off matches rant on the mark appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.