A load of rubbish – time for NZR to listen

‘‘The sight of All Blacks being withdrawn from games in the second half . . . was madness.’’

NZ Rugby must find solutions. The days of expecting fans to be grateful for what they receive in Super Rugby are long gone. Anyone who states otherwise is deluded. Kiwi rugby supporters should give former All Blacks Wyatt Crockett and Sir John Kirwanwho demanded changes a standing ovation for refusing to bow at the NZ Rugby altar during a Sky Sport show this week. It’s one thing for media and the fans to gripe about NZ Rugby’s heavy handed attitude in regards to managing players’ workloads in Super Rugby but when former All Blacks – and respected ones at that – light a fire under the national body it should send the equivalent of an electric current through the brains of the apparatchiks in the head office in Wellington. The decisionmakers in NZ Rugby, starting with CEO Mark Robinson and board chairman Brent Impey, need to leave the ladle in the Kool Aid bowl and ask whether their controversial ‘load management’ policy can be changed. Because the first round of Super Rugby last weekend was a farce. The sight of All Blacks being withdrawn from games in the second half – especially so for the Blues who had to replace captain Patrick Tuipulotu and two-try wing Rieko Ioane before being run over by the Chiefs because coaches can’t allow players to log too many minutes in the first three games – was madness. This is on top of key All Blacks Beauden Barrett, Brodie Retallick and Sam Whitelock being unavailable; Barrett is on a holiday until mid-April, Retallick will miss the 2020 and 2021 Super Rugby seasons to play in Japan and Whitelock will be in Asia until after the current competition ends. The collective agreement allows up to 33 players to be ‘load managed’ (although the All Blacks coaches have identified just 31) in the first three rounds. That means having a 180-minute cap on game time over the first three rounds (40, 60 and 80 minutes is a rough guide), taking two games off during the season (on top of the byes) and not playing more than six games in succession.

Player welfare is important. Everyone gets that. Why do NZ Rugby have to enforce a one-sizefits-all policy?

Surely NZ Rugby can do better than this. As Crockett noted programmes could be tailored to suit individuals, taking into account their workloads, the positions they play in and the data downloaded to fitness staff after each game.

Regular communication between NZ Rugby and the Super Rugby coaches could result in a compromise that benefits players, especially those who say they don’t want to be rested, and supporters.

NZ Rugby could point to the collective and say this directive is set in stone. That could also be labelled a cop-out.

Everyone wants the All Blacks players to be in good health for the test window for multiple reasons. Winning tests and re-claiming the World Rugby ranking as the best team on the planet will go a long way to helping NZ Rugby take a strong position when it is time to sit down and ask commercial partners to sign contracts.

Super Rugby clubs will still have to make some sacrifices. But the current policy is outdated and cumbersome. There has to be a better way.

Right now, NZ Rugby needs to show some leadership.

Super Rugby is supposed to be a premier competition. That argument, as it stands, doesn’t stack up. As Crockett and Kirwan both said it is time for a re-think.

Because, last time we looked, crowds weren’t flocking to Super Rugby games. Come on NZ Rugby. Let’s do this.