ABS, Canes: We’re all in this together

The Hurricanes and All Blacks will sing from the same hymn sheet in 2019.

Now-former coach Chris Boyd courted controversy this year by expressing dissatisfaction with the insertion of All Blacks’ camps into the Super Rugby calendar. He didn’t care for how that news was communicated either, nor was he that enamoured of having to sit All Blacks out for two rest weeks as well.

Boyd and the camps are gone, with the prescribed rests all that are set to remain ahead of the World Cup. Absent, too, appears to be any ill-feeling between the national team and the Super Rugby franchises.

‘‘We met with the All Blacks last week when they were here in Wellington, myself and Plum [new Hurricanes head coach John Plumtree], and had a really positive meeting about next year,’’ Hurricanes chief executive Avan Lee said.

"I think it’s going to be better than it has been because the competition finishes in one block. We haven’t got a June [test] series, and then they go longterm [to prepare for the World Cup] so the All Blacks haven’t go the same need to bring players into camps. We’re comfortable with where that conversation’s at and I think, if anything, the discussion between the All Blacks and the Super Rugby teams is as good as it’s been.’’

What this means is that in 2019, All Blacks will sit two Super games out in an effort to try to manage their workloads.