Player power: When the test rugby boot is on the other foot

Players have always made themselves unavailable for games or tours. Whether it was due

to work commitments or on

compassionate grounds, religious and political beliefs

or parental leave, opting out is not out

of the ordinary.

Newzealand Rugby and their players truly are the strangest of dance partners.

The continual tangle they get themselves into around fixtures and selections and availability is a sight to behold, so long asyou subscribe to the theory that the All Blacks’ jerseymeanssomething.

It’s a brand that bothnzrandthe players exploit, often leaving the rest of us to feel confused and disenfranchised.

The All Blacks are playingsome test rugby this year. Wethink.

The where, whenandhowhas— or is— proving a little tricky, but the bottom line is they’ll play. Yes, no health or logistical hurdle will stop the powers that be from staging international matches in 2020, otherwise they’ll go broke.

It remains to be seen whether every All Black will be available for every test, but then that’s all part of that complicated dance routine.

Players have alwaysmade themselves unavailable for games or tours. Whether it wasdue to work commitments or on compassionate grounds, religious and political beliefs or parental leave, opting out is not out of the ordinary.

Money’s been at the root of most arguments in the professional era, though.

Wheregames were once few and far between, nowthey’re plentiful. Whereteamswere once settled and squads small, nowwehave mass changes from weekto week.

Wherematches and series’ were played for glory and trophies and legacies, nowthey’re merely a mechanism to pay the bloated salaries of the players.

When, as the governing body, you stage games simply for revenue’s sake andyou endorse and encourage rotation and rest weeks, then you diminish the product. Not just in the minds of fans and broadcasters and sponsors, but the players too.

Our heroes, in concert with the players’ association, are becoming increasingly specific abouthow manytimes they’re prepared to play and train each year and at what intensity. Howmany media commitments they’ll fulfil, howmany promotional activities they’ll attend, howmanyweeks incampthey’ll cop and forhowmuchcoin.

Youhesitate to saynzrhave becomeaccustomed to begging their better players to stay under contract, butwhenyou’re having to incentivise their deals to this extent then you’re hardly in a strong bargaining position.

Somepeople will say these players are under contract and shoulddo as they’re told. Wedon’t tell our employerswhenwe’re prepared to work, andwhenwe’re not, sowhy should footy players?

Toobad if Super Rugby Aotearoa’s a bit hard on the body, or if the 2020 test schedulecomes with toomany quarantine requirements. You’re on massivemoneyand you can sling your hook if youdon’t like it.

Unfortunately, it’s all a bit late for that. Newzealand Rugby took the lead, in terms of trying to cash in on the All Blacks’ brand, butnowit’s the players in control.

All I tend to see is a governing body whoneed money, a playing group whocrave it and various contortions designed to create amutually beneficial outcome.

— Radionewzealand