NSW Waratahs coach Chris Hickey is worried moves to prune back Australian Super Rugby squads to 30 players will leave teams terribly exposed to the brutal nature of the competition.
Hickey on Wednesday called for a post-season review of the Australian Rugby Union’s desire to streamline the playing rosters of the five squads in 2012.
The Waratahs themselves will on Friday night highlight the toll the competition takes on players when they run out against the Blues in Auckland with more than half of their starting XV on the sidelines.
Halfback Luke Burgess was the latest star to enter the casualty ward this week when he broke his hand at training on Tuesday.
Pending final team selections on Thursday, the Waratahs are set to use their 38th player this season.
The table-topping Queensland Reds have also called upon 37 players in the home-and-away rounds to overcome injuries and freshen up battered troops.
“A squad of 30 just won’t cut it,” Hickey said in Auckland.
“All unions need to look at squad numbers.”
NSW, the Reds, Western Force, Melbourne Rebels and Brumbies have operated with full squads of 32-33 players in 2011 plus academy players.
But the franchises next year are supposed to operate with 30 full-contract players and also have five rookies in their ranks.
With the 2012 season to be played over a longer period, due to a break during the June international window, Hickey said it was “commonsense” to review the proposed changes at the end of the season.
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