The issue of burnout for leading rugby players will be on the agenda at a major players' conference next month on the Gold Coast.
New Zealand's leading players and the All Blacks coach Steve Hansen are pushing to extend their off-season from eight to 16 weeks which would mean delaying Super rugby's kickoff by a month, and playing through the June international window.
The New Zealand Players' Association says strike action could be taken as a last resort to press claims for an integrated international season due to a rise in injuries, and increasing numbers of players opting out of the grind to play overseas.
The International Rugby Players Association will raise the issue of global season integration at the International Rugby Board meeting in July.
