Tony Dempsey, the chief executive of the Australian Rugby Union Players' Assosciation, believes the ARU are risking the health of some of their top stars by offering them cash to participate in the much-maligned inter-hemisphere charity match.

The hemisphere clash scheduled for Novemeber 30 has been dogged by trouble and most recently the Zurich Premiership clubs vowed not to release any players for the game.

The Austrlian Rugby Union, along with all the major unions, have given their backing to the game, that intend to raise money to promote the game worldwide.

Dempsey, who is also chairman of the International Rugby Players
Association (IRPA), said this game was adding to the strain on the top players and makes the off-season a lot shorter than the recommended 12-week period outlined at the Player Welfare Conference in Dublin earlier this month.

While the ARU cannot compel its players to participate in the game, it will offer invitees its standard Test payment of A$10,000 dollars to take part.

"I'd be surprised if players accepted the invitation," Dempsey told AFP on Monday.

"But the ARU need to probably re-think whether they want to be seen to be inducing players to play in a game contrary to recommendations coming out of the IRB conference which says a player should be getting 12 weeks' (break).

"To induce players to play ... there would be an even shorter rest period. So there's issues there about occupational health and safety and whether or not those standards are in jeopardy with inducements to play in the game."

An ARU spokesperson stressed, "Our players have the best working conditions in the world and all we are asking is that players take part in a match to raise money for rugby playing countries less fortunate than our own," the spokesperson said.

Australia are scheduled to play Tests on the four weekends leading up to the hemisphere clash.