TOP rugby players need more rest periods, says Wales coach Mike Ruddock, freshly back from a three-week fact-finding visit to Australia.

The hot topic in Welsh rugby is limiting the amount of rugby leading players take part in to avoid burn-out and keep them fresh for internationals.

The Irish Rugby Union have already prevented their national squad men from appearing in the first three Celtic League matches of the season because of a 10-week conditioning period. Wales fitness chief Andrew Hore is thought to be keen on this idea as well.

The Wales management and the four regions met last week, and it was believed an agreement was reached. But already cracks have appeared and some regions are playing their leading men even in pre-season friendlies.

Neath-Swansea Ospreys have publicly said they will do that for their fixture against Bath while Newport-Gwent Dragons have picked most of their summer tourists for the

Northampton game tomorrow including Hal Luscombe who played in all three of Wales' Tests. But Ruddock says, "We've got to be realistic, particularly after the World Cup and the summer tour.

"It's a huge collision and contact sport now and the guys need more rest, we don't want guys washed up because they've been overplayed, we want them to play for ten years.

"Players used to rest even in the amateur days with the British Lions when they missed the start of the season after the tour, so we've got to be pragmatic here, it needs sensible thinking."

Ruddock believes resting players also gives younger players the opportunity to break through.

"There's no harm either because underneath players are starting to come through, like Peter Sidoli who came to the Dragons from Ebbw Vale. His line-out stats were some of the best in the regions," he said.

"And look at Llanelli. They won the Celtic League and they were affected by big international call-ups more than anyone, but they didn't disappoint their fans."

Ruddock will now consult with Wales fitness chief Andrew Hore when he returns from France where he is meeting the coaches of Gareth Thomas' new club Toulouse, Stephen Jones' Montferrand and Gareth Llewellyn's Narbonne.

But the problem doesn't look like going away because, unlike in Ireland, the WRU don't control the players so are in no real position to dictate.

Ruddock has returned from Australia confident Wales are on the right lines with what they are doing.

"I watched rugby league and Aussie rules as well as the Australia-New Zealand Tri Nations game as well as seeing the approach of the different sports and the facilities," he said.

"It was a general rounded rugby experience, but there was nothing that made me think we do anything different.

"It reinforced that we are on the right lines, so we're up to speed and we've got peace of mind there."