ABS to hold ‘wellbeing’ camp as Hansen sets sights on Lions

A unique ‘‘wellbeing’’ camp has been scheduled for the All Blacks in January, with coach Steve Hansen already formulating a battle plan to beat the British and Irish Lions next year.

Within an hour of watching his weary All Blacks overcome France 24-19 in Paris to end the season with a very respectable 13-1 record, Hansen explained how imperative it was to start preparing for Warren Gatland’s Lions, who play their first test against the All Blacks in Auckland on June 24.

The clock is ticking, and doesn’t Hansen know it.

After describing the difficulty of the last nine weeks, when the team had to overcome jet lag, fatigue and compromised preparations as they pinged between Buenos Aires, Durban, Auckland, Chicago, Rome, Ireland and Paris, Hansen said it was vital that the players used their 12-week break to allow their bodies to recuperate.

Hansen didn’t specify how many men would attend the camp in January, which is likely to involve their fitness and strength levels being monitored, among a number of other things, but it seems there could be up to 40 invitations sent out.

‘‘It’s a wellbeing camp, let’s call it that,’’ Hansen said. ‘‘Which will be great because it will allow them to go into Super Rugby in the best nick that we can possibly get them into at that point.

‘‘It will be all the guys who were All Blacks in 2016, and anyone who has been injured over the last wee bit - like Nathan Harris and Nepo Laulala for example.

‘‘And there will be others we will look at, who we will probably want to go.’’

Sonny Bill Williams, who ruptured an Achilles tendon at the Rio Olympics and didn’t play for the All Blacks this year, is another certain to get an invite.

Others, such as apprentice Jordie Barrett, and Vaea Fifita, who also travelled with the All Blacks for part of the northern tour but didn’t play, may be fringe candidates.

Hansen said All Blacks would represent their Super Rugby clubs in the matches against the Lions when the ‘‘timing was right’’, which suggests he may not want players aligned with the Chiefs and Hurricanes, who are scheduled to play the tourists before and after the first test, to be compromised.

The All Blacks management will also get their hands on the players two weeks before that first test, another chance to assess fitness levels, discuss tactics and analyse their opponents.

There is no doubt Hansen would prefer more time in camp, but the saturated rugby programme doesn’t allow that. Instead, he can only encourage his players to refresh during the 12-week rest window, and ask they stick to their fitness programmes and don’t return to Super Rugby in a poor condition.

‘‘Sometimes you get the luxury of allowing players to go through the June series and getting them in the right condition.

‘‘They have got to turn up in the right condition.’’

Wing Julian Savea will no doubt be told, in polite terms or otherwise, to not let his standards slip after a poor season with the Hurricanes spilled over into the recent June test series against Wales.

‘‘They are probably going to be the best Lions team to come down for a long time, with what they have got to select,’’ Hansen reiterated.

‘‘We have put a lot of work into what we want to and know we are going to have to redevelop our game a little bit.

‘‘The important part is transitioning these guys back into their franchises, making sure they get a good offseason so they are fresh and ready to go.

‘‘We just can’t afford anyone to be behind the eight ball in June,’’ he said.