Overview

• Head coaches from leading Premiership clubs publicly urged Steve Borthwick and the RFU to rest British & Irish Lions players during the autumn Tests rather than leaving all game-time reductions to clubs.
• Sale’s Tom Curry had right wrist surgery after the tour and will miss the start of the Premiership season, with his comeback targeted around England’s November fixtures against Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and Argentina.
• Several Lions exceeded the suggested 30-match cap last season, including Tommy Freeman (34), Maro Itoje and Ben Earl (33 each), and Finn Russell (37), intensifying calls for stricter management.
• Under the Professional Game Partnership, an expanded elite group of 25 England players have RFU-managed medical and conditioning programmes, a setup clubs say should come with shared responsibility for rest during international windows.
• Clubs are already staggering returns: Northampton plan an extra week off for Freeman, Saracens granted additional leave to Itoje, Jamie George and Earl, Owen Farrell is cleared for week one, and Elliot Daly is tracking for an October return.