Rugby is being saturated with internationals at the senior representative level. Professionalism imposes its own financial demands on administrations and more matches are required to raise the necessary funds. The financial rewards for the international players are of course huge, but there is a price to be paid as the demands, physical and psychological, are considerable.

Those factors apart, Ireland's match against Italy at Lansdowne Road tomorrow represents an interesting and in many respects attractive proposition for the home side. Bearing in mind the disappointing nature of Ireland's performances against England and Scotland, this is a match that holds considerable implications and incentives for the Irish players. Places on Ireland's tour party to Australia can be won and lost tomorrow afternoon, while down the line there is the World Cup to play for. In the team context, a win is badly needed after the disappointments of the Five Nations Championship. The fact that the Italians will be entering the championship next season adds further to the appeal. There is another factor worth considering. Ireland's record against Italy is extremely poor. The teams have met four times, the Irish winning just once and that was 11 years ago. All three Italian victories were comprehensive and thoroughly deserved. The Italians go into the match with an indifferent record this season, however. They have lost to England, Scotland and very emphatically to Wales just a few weeks ago.

Time appears to be catching up with some of Italy's most experienced and talented players. In a different context, time may be catching up with a few in the Ireland team tomorrow. At least a few can be grateful for the indulgence of coach Warren Gatland so far.

The match tomorrow will be the eighth international for the Ireland team in the space of just under five months. In November they played Georgia and Romania in World Cup qualifying and then met South Africa. There followed the Five Nations Championship matches and now comes the match against Italy.

Ireland will travel to Australia next month and play two tests in a four-match schedule. The two tests mean 10 internationals in an eight-month period. Add in other representative and domestic club engagements and the players will be glad of a rest after the summer tour. But the rest will not be long as the preparations for the World Cup get under way. For instance, Ireland will play Argentina in August in a warm-up match and will have at least three matches in the World Cup, more if they progress to the knock-out stages.

Now bear in mind that Ireland's matches against Georgia, Romania and South Africa all took place in November and the World Cup starts in October. That will mean that in a 12 month period Ireland will play a minimum of 14 internationals.

Add in in those European Cup matches for the Irish-based players, as well as league and cup matches for their clubs and an intensive programme for those based with English clubs, and it amounts to huge physical and psychological demands. Yet the clamour for more international and representative rugby continues to grow. It is true that the World Cup only comes along once every four years, but with pre-qualifying matches and qualifying groups it lasts over two seasons in essence. Some very respected voices in the game have spoken about the danger to players and they should be listened to. Rugby is very much a physical contact sport, far more physically demanding than soccer for instance. I am conscious that we live in an age when medical science has advanced to a high level of efficiency and that countries, provinces and clubs have elaborate medical back-up. Nonetheless I believe there is reason for anxiety. The intense nature of the current game and the pace at which it is played at means that rugby is now more physically demanding than at at any other time.

I know that great care is taken to provide the best medical facilities and advice, but I wonder in the years ahead whether we will see many players over 30 years of age playing at representative levels.

WE are now in a professional era and the top players are all professionals. That means greater levels of physical fitness and much more intensive training and fitness programmes. But as one international player said to me last week, the greater the level of fitness, the harder the physical demands. And who can argue with him on that?

Free from the demands of earning a living by having to hold down a job away from the game and free from the demands such a situation imposes, players have more time for rest during the week. They need all they can get.

Representative rugby is about competition, but it is also about money, sponsorship, television rights and gate receipts. The costs of running the game are now huge. One has only to look at the IRFU balance sheet to see that. Bearing in mind that in the context of the overall span of a working life, playing careers are short, players are understandably going to try and earn as much money as they can. But is the price they are paying too high?

Rugby authorities would also do well to bear in mind the support of the paying customer. A lot of representative rugby offers an attractive proposition for spectators, especially so international rugby. But pockets are not bottomless regardless of how enthusiastic supporters may be.

In conclusion, last week I stated that Philip Matthews had the distinction of having captained Ireland at schools and senior levels. That dual distinction was also achieved by Brendan Mullin and most recently Niall Hogan.