\n<\/p>\n
England wing Tommy Freeman and Ireland prop Tadhg Furlong both said similar after being involved in last summer’s Lions tour of Australia.<\/p>\n
“Without realising it, I think I was tired,” Freeman said of his return to club side Northampton.<\/p>\n
“My body felt like I was OK to go and I was saying to coaches ‘Yeah I’m fine, I’m fine’. I just think mentally it was a bit more of a struggle.”<\/p>\n
Three-time Lion Furlong said: “Everything maybe seems insignificant the year after.”<\/p>\n
France’s players may not have that much sympathy. A campaign in their domestic top flight \u2013 the Top 14 \u2013 can stretch to 29 matches.<\/p>\n
The equivalent figure for the English Prem and the United Rugby Championship is 20 and 21 matches respectively.<\/p>\n
However, unlike with the Home Nations, France usually rest their top stars for their summer tours.<\/p>\n
While the Lions were touring Australia, across the Tasman Sea a France side took on New Zealand in a three-Test series without the likes of Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Matthieu Jalibert or Charles Ollivon.<\/p>\n
Despite objections from their Kiwi hosts, concerned about the impact on ticket sales, France stuck to their policy as a second-string side suffered a 3-0 series defeat.<\/p>\n
Ireland are adept at managing their stars’ overall workloads. For instance, Leinster and Ireland hooker Dan Sheehan has made only three starts for his province so far this season.<\/p>\n
But Warburton believes that not all games are equal. In his opinion, the Test stages demands more of players.<\/p>\n
“I think there’s something about playing international rugby \u2013 there’s only so many times I think you can play an international game of that magnitude, emotionally, in a year,” he said.<\/p>\n
“The Lions tour obviously eats into that quota and I think it’s a massive part of it.”<\/p>\n
The Six Nations’ regular calendar cycle might also play a part. In even-numbered years \u2013 in which every post-Lions Six Nations take place \u2013 France have three home games, rather than two.<\/p>\n
Their home matches include meetings with Ireland and England, often title rivals.<\/p>\n
France bookended their Six Nations campaign with victories against those two in Paris this year, crucial results in their championship success.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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