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<blockquote data-quote="Peat" data-source="post: 598119" data-attributes="member: 42330">Glasgow are probably one of the biggest providers of internationals in the league. Bizarre to say that internationals being held back has allowed them to take up a league place above their actual ability. Edinburgh reaching 2nd had more to do with Andy Robinson than other teams resting internationals if memory serves.The question has to be &quot;Why would Leinster stop resting players&quot;? As smartcooky shows, they don&#039;t have to stop doing that to keep making Pro12 playoffs and European qualification. It keeps their players fresh for the end of the season when the important games happen, giving them an advantage when it matters. Plus, of course, its not their call. Its the IRFU&#039;s, and I don&#039;t see why they&#039;re going to change the formula as long as it works.I suppose the answer is that if everyone&#039;s going harder to get qualification, and their position comes under threat, they&#039;ll change to follow. That&#039;s a bit of an if though. But yeah, even if they do go for it, they&#039;ll still end up around the top. I can&#039;t see saying they&#039;d end up by even more points substantially challenges smartcooky&#039;s point.Tbh, my guess, is that as the Irish provinces are currently far ahead of the pack, the big three there will dominate the league... which doesn&#039;t really entail a lot of change.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Peat, post: 598119, member: 42330"] Glasgow are probably one of the biggest providers of internationals in the league. Bizarre to say that internationals being held back has allowed them to take up a league place above their actual ability. Edinburgh reaching 2nd had more to do with Andy Robinson than other teams resting internationals if memory serves. The question has to be "Why would Leinster stop resting players"? As smartcooky shows, they don't have to stop doing that to keep making Pro12 playoffs and European qualification. It keeps their players fresh for the end of the season when the important games happen, giving them an advantage when it matters. Plus, of course, its not their call. Its the IRFU's, and I don't see why they're going to change the formula as long as it works. I suppose the answer is that if everyone's going harder to get qualification, and their position comes under threat, they'll change to follow. That's a bit of an if though. But yeah, even if they do go for it, they'll still end up around the top. I can't see saying they'd end up by even more points substantially challenges smartcooky's point. Tbh, my guess, is that as the Irish provinces are currently far ahead of the pack, the big three there will dominate the league... which doesn't really entail a lot of change. [/QUOTE]

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