Rebelsfan
Billy Sheehan (19)
Didn't Cheika say something about these not actually being rests? It's not so the players can recover, it's so they can actually train harder and stay fitter. In the middle of a season, players lose fitness gradually as they stay fresh for games.
In Rowing - they will train right through major international and domestic events at the risk of diminished results, because they can only afford to taper for 1 or 2 races a year for optimal results.
I don't see the value in resting players, its kind of like putting aside your best shoes for an important date, but what if you never get that date?