Tuesday 26 September 2017 16:19, UK
New RFU chief executive Steve Brown admits the growing concern of player welfare needs to be heard and that strike action is a genuine possibility.
This follows the announcement of the new global calendar which is to take effect from August 2020 and will see international players playing 11-month seasons.
England internationals Billy Vunipola, Ben Youngs and Joe Marler have hinted about taking action, with Vunipola saying his body "could not handle" the physical toll and that he would accept the idea of playing fewer games following a third major surgery in under a year.
"We have no game if we have no players. Players have always been central to the RFU, but we need to bring it to the fore much more now," Brown said.
"The players have a voice and we need to listen to them. They are saying what they think and what they feel about the current environment they're playing in.We need to take heed of that."
Brown hopes that an agreement will be reached by the end of the season and sees welfare of the players as the toughest test in his new role.
He added "Listening to the players, I can see two things emerging. It's not just the physical concerns, but also the mental demands and psychological pressures they are under."
