THE reasons are valid for Wales adding to their already hectic 2015/16 schedule.

Warren Gatland's men will take on the Chiefs in between the first and second Tests against New Zealand in the summer, giving game time to those likely to spend most of the tour on the sidelines and ensuring they are match ready should they be needed in Wellington or Dunedin.

But the fixture in Hamilton will take the number of games played by Wales this season to 18, plus the squad have had the rigorous training camps that tuned them up for the World Cup.

They had three warm-up Tests and five games at England 2015, they will have their five fixtures in the Six Nations, a pre-Tour international at Twickenham, three Tests against the world champions and an encounter with the Chiefs.

All that and then in 2016/17 it's an even more daunting schedule for the frontline players who will have ambitions of returning to face the All Blacks with the Lions.

The thinking behind a tour to New Zealand is sound – it's been five years since they have played there and the best side on the planet will be getting used to being without Dan Carter, Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Keven Mealamu and possibly Richie McCaw, although the legendary openside may fancy another crack at the Lions.

But vulnerability is relative and one imagines the pattern will be a first Test hammering ("We came into this game cold"), an unconvincing win against the Chiefs, a tight second Test ("The gap is closing, we'll learn the lessons to get over the line next week") and a third Test hammering ("It's been a long season, it was a game too far").

The four professional sides will then be left to pick up the pieces next season, giving international players time off in August and September and risking playing catch-up.

Firstly, two Tests would have sufficed in New Zealand like in 2010.

Secondly, if the saturated fixture list is to continue (and it will) then the Welsh Rugby Union simply have to give more a financial helping hand to the four clubs in order for them to be more competitive.

Only the Scarlets are likely to have something to play for in the Guinness Pro12 run-in and it's likely that the Dragons, Ospreys and Cardiff Blues will be asked to think of going easy on their Test players.

In the case of Taulupe Faletau I'd be tempted to tell the WRU to put their money where their mouth is in terms of compensation after missing out on a six-figure transfer fee.