Hansen backs time-out for stars
RUGBY
ALL BLACKS coach Steve Hansen has rejected the suggestion Super Rugby is losing out when top players like Dan Carter and Richie McCaw take extended breaks from the game.
Carter announced yesterday he was taking a six-month sabbatical after the All Blacks’ end-of-year tour to Europe in November, but offered little detail on his plans.
In his 11th season as a professional player, the 95-test veteran said his battered body was in need of a break if he was to get through to the World Cup in 2015.
However, though the first fiveeighth will potentially miss only three tests – against England next June – the 31-year-old’s decision means he will play little or no part in the Crusaders’ 2014 campaign.
Many feel that is unfair on Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder who had to do without McCaw for all but two brief appearances this year after his six-month break.
But Hansen said yesterday the long-term pay-off for the Crusaders and All Blacks from the star pair’s absences outweighed the short-term pain.
‘‘I think we’ll get a number of seasons out of Dan Carter whereas we may only get one if we weren’t flexible enough to say, yep, you can have an extended break,’’ Hansen said. ‘‘It’s six months out of what’s been a tremendous career and if it lets him have another three, four seasons, then we are all going to win.
‘‘The risk we run if we don’t look after our athletes, is they do break down or they get sick of it and frustrated and go overseas and we don’t want that. ‘‘We want all our players here. ‘‘If you look at it, it’s only guys who have been around a long, long time that are getting these extended breaks.
‘‘It’s not someone who has only been around for five minutes.
‘‘It’s somebody who has earned the right to have that and have the support of the fans, the coaches and the administrators. I think it’s a positive.’’ Hansen, a former Crusaders coach himself, commended the way Blackadder had handled the situation. ‘‘He understands that and realises if he wants Dan Carter past this moment, he has to be like all of us and be flexible in his thinking.’’
Carter saw similarities between his break and McCaw’s, and said talking to his All Blacks captain about his own experience had helped him make up his mind.
He confirmed he would not play any rugby during his break and would not make any decisions around his comeback until the middle of next year.
‘‘There was a bit of speculation about playing a full club season [for Southbridge].
‘‘I’m not sure where that came from; probably the old man throwing something out there,’’ Carter said.
‘‘I’m sure he’d love that but, no, I’m not going to be playing any rugby in that six months.’’
McCaw recently returned from his six-month sabbatical for the last few matches of the Crusaders’ Super Rugby campaign.
Carter said it was too early to put a date on his return.
‘‘Returning to play is something you manage closer to the time. I haven’t really thought too much about that,’’ he said.
‘‘I’ll have those conversations with [Hansen and Blackadder] and my club coaches closer to the time – the middle of next year when I’m looking to return to play.’’