ALL BLACKS FACE EPIC SEASON
THIS SEASON IS SHAPING UP AS THE MOST DEMANDING EVER FACED BY THE ALL BLACKS IN THE PROFESSIONAL ERA.
From starting the year with 13 tests locked in, they will end it playing 14 tests and two other games. That means 2017 has taken on epic proportions – equalling, in volume at least, their previous most demanding schedule when they played 15 tests and a game against Munster in 2008.
The extra test will be against Samoa, eight days before the All Blacks’ first encounter against the Lions at Eden Park.
The All Blacks coaches wanted a proper hit out before the first test against the Lions. They were fearful that they would be caught cold at Eden Park if they didn’t have at least one outing before the first Lions encounter.
A er prolonged negotiations, an agreement was reached to play the Barbarians at Twickenham on November 4. The opportunity to play England at the same ground came up, but the All Blacks coaches wanted a game rather than a test so they could blood some younger, emerging players.
And because they are taking 37 players on the end of year tour, they decided it would make sense to try to organise another game. At the time of going to print, they were looking for an opponent to play in Paris on the Tuesday a er they play France at Stade Français.
Those games were being organised around the longscheduled tests against France in Paris on November 11, Scotland in Edinburgh on November 18 and Wales in Cardi on November 25.
The challenge for the All Blacks coaches is going to be managing the workloads of individuals and yet still managing to grow the performances of the team and win tests.
The biting point of the season is more likely to come at the tail end of the Rugby Championship when the All Blacks have to travel to play Argentina and then South Africa in consecutive weeks, then return to play Australia in Brisbane before heading to Europe.
They will be asked to play six tests and two games in a nineweek period that will see them cross 17 time zones and travel round the world twice.
That period will tests their depth and resolve with senior players unlikely to be involved in either of the two games and not all players who travel to Africa will go to Argentina.
Still, as much as the All Blacks try to manage the workloads of their top players, there is no getting away from the fact that they will be taken to the limits of both their physical and mental capacity this year with so much rugby to be played.