Crusaders roll out their All Blacks
Sam Whitelock seems genuinely appalled at the prospect of being consigned to non-active duty.
Unlike previous Crusaders captains Kieran Read and Richie McCaw, who at times exercised the option of being allowed to miss the opening rounds of Super Rugby to extend their off-seasons, Whitelock wants to blow the dust off his work kit when his side hosts the Chiefs in Christchurch for their first competition match on February 24.
First, though, Whitelock has to survive the final pre-season game against the Highlanders in Waimumu tomorrow afternoon. Coach Scott Robertson has also listed 11 other All Blacks in the
29-man squad, and will cap their outings at 40 minutes each.
The starting line-up is unrecognisable from the one rolled-out to combat the Hurricanes in the first warm-up game in Greymouth on February 2: 10 internationals to start, and two others in Luke Romano and Mitchell Drummond on the bench.
Read, who is still recovering from surgery to his back, isn’t expected to be return until midApril. Robertson has also said Owen Franks, Joe Moody and Israel Dagg may be given until then to get back to full health, while non-capped All Black, Tim Perry, should be back in a few weeks if his Achilles tendon allows it.
Whitelock was near unstoppable last season. He made
15 starts and one appearance as a
replacement when he led the Crusaders to the title, and added 12 test caps - the last as captain against Wales in Cardiff because Read was injured - to notch-up 96 test appearances for his country.
He took most of December off, and then got back into training. Now he wants to get his knees dirty.
‘‘I am a rugby player, so I want to play rugby - I am always keen to get out there and play,’’ Whitelock said.
‘‘There is something about being down here with all the guys, you get to know them when you are playing pre-season games and get fully involved.
‘‘Yeah, I am pretty keen to get out there if Razor selects me.’’
A full-time professional since 2010, Whitelock, now 29, has a handle on what is required in terms of work balance.
Getting outdoors, whether it be on a farm or the garden, helps but golf isn’t his thing.
Barring injury or a dramatic loss of form, he should make his 100th test appearance against the Wallabies in Sydney on August 18.
Some players use significant milestones to remain motivated but given everything that is on the schedule prior to that fixture, Whitelock may not have that date stencilled in red on his calendar.
‘‘You can’t be consumed by rugby seven days a week when you are playing,’’ he insists.
‘‘You have to actually step away from it; you can’t live, breathe, think about rugby 24-7.
‘‘If you were doing that, I think you would only last a couple of months.’’
Sometimes you spy Sam Whitelock and Crusaders coach Scott Robertson having a quiet chat at the end of training and wonder what they are discussing. You assume it is rugby-related, but Whitelock said it pays to expect something from left-field from the coach.
‘‘He just brings a bit of random quirkiness that can come at anytime, whether it is at a captain’s run or a Monday meeting. It keeps you on your toes. It is good, it just brings in that little different enjoyment factor.’’