Rugby: Pelous' plea for new rugby calendar

France captain Fabien Pelous is begging rugby union's authorities to improve their calendar.

Toulouse lock Pelous echoed the dismay Francois Pienaar and Lawrence Dallaglio - making it clear there is a cross-Channel desire for reform.

The quarter-finals of the European Shield and Heineken Cup take place this weekend, meaning the majority of France's squad will be in action just days before the Six Nations Championship.

Pelous said: "It is not so much the fact that there are so many games to be played as the fact that all the games are mixed up.

"One day you have European Cup; then immediately afterwards there is the Six Nations, and then there is a league game - all together. They have to organise a shake-up of the competitions.

"This is an important condition for the development of the game."