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It added that the Club World Cup "is not responsible for calendar congestion", noting that it takes place once every four years with a maximum of seven matches for the two finalists.

The new format means the two finalists will play seven times in as few as 25 days.

Now Farrell and the management face a nervous wait before the finalists head into camp on Sunday, with Dalziel confirming some players will be asked to turn around six days later to face the Pumas.

WTC finalists South Africa were criticised for sending a weakened squad on a Test tour of New Zealand so their star players could play in the country's domestic franchise tournament, the SA20.

Bath, beaten finalists by Northampton at Twickenham last year, will face either Leicester or Sale who play on Saturday as they bid to win their first league title since 1996.