Former England captain Lawrence Dallaglio today welcomed the decision to relieve the pressure on English rugby's overworked stars by restricting them to just 32 matches a season.

``As players it is something we have been talking about for a number of years and anything which improves the quality of the game is to be applauded,'' he said.

``I don't believe there were far too many matches, and the game needs to have continuity,'' said Dallaglio, who underwent an operation on the cruciate ligament in his right knee two months ago after being flown home from the British Lions tour of Australia which followed an arduous English season.

He is happy with his progress and hopes by Christmas to be thinking about setting a target for a return to action, possibly before the end of the 2001-2 season.

``The knee seems to be making good progress but I'm not rushing things and will be consulting my medical advisors about the next step forward,'' he said.

Dallaglio was quick to play down any sort of a dispute between his club Wasps and the British Lions over the injury, despite reports that the club were taking legal action over the matter.

``There is no issue there. The Lions and Wasps have got on very well ever since the injury happened. Contrary to reports there is a structure for insurance and compensation and everything was sorted out,'' he added.

He insisted that, despite suffering knee trouble at the end of last season, the decision to go on tour was the right one.

``I had undergone extensive medical tests before the tour and passed them all, no problem. Injuries like that only really come out when they are tested in a game.''

He said the talk of a rift between Wasps and the Lions was ``born out of frustration about losing a player before the start of the season.

He added: ``It could benefit Wasps in the long run because the other players will have to respond by taking more of the responsibility. I hope that will happen and we will improve last season's position of second to Leicester.''

Dallaglio also hopes the memory of the British Lions tour Down Under will not be soured by the public outburst of England players Matt Dawson and Austin Healey.

``I think it's sad,'' he said. ``The tour should be remembered for the right reasons. There was some fantastic rugby and it was in the balance till the final moments of the last match. The tour should be remembered for the brilliant rugby, the support of the British and Irish fans which was fantastic and the way that was reciprocated by the Australians, which was also fantastic.

``In a tour of this nature, there are always going to be winners and losers. There are not a lot of games and not everyone can play. A lot of the frustrations which were aired by several players, rightly or wrongly, have spilled out into the wider public domain and that should not be allowed to happen.''

Dallaglio believes that English rugby is now set to move forward following yesterday's announcement of the eight year strategic plan which effectively ended the feud between the clubs and the Rugby Football Union which has rumbled on ever since the game went professional in 1985.

``Any deal which brings the two parties together is welcomed by people like myself. The players have tried to move the game forward as much as possible on the pitch but the one thing that has held us back has been the opposing political parties in the game.

``Hopefully now we can look at making the game better, be it by reducing the number of games or whatever,'' he said.Dallaglio continued: ``Everyone thinks the game is rosy because the England
team is doing enormously well but there is still an awful lot to be done.

``Hopefully we are going towards that now and players will be able to
concentrate on performing on the pitch, clubs can develop the game for the future and attract more people to watch and the administrators can get on with running the game.''

If that includes the acquisition of star players from Rugby League Dallaglio, despite airing a concern that the 13-a-side game should not be harmed, is happy.

On the day Henry Paul followed the Jason Robinson route from league to union with the official announcements of his transfer from Bradford Bulls to Gloucester - and possibly from league with New Zealand to union with England, for whom he holds residential qualifications - Dallaglio said: ``I don't think there will be a flood of players moving over.

``I am a fan of rugby league as well and would not want to see that game
dissolve. But rugby union is an attractive shop window for players at the moment. Jason Robinson has made a tremendous transition and is an exceptional player, and hopefully Henry Paul can do that as well.

``You have to be in favour from any player like that coming, and showing his abilities, and it is great to have two fantastic talents like them in the game.''