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Is it better to burn out or fade away?

Bryan Habana played the last time the All Blacks went down in New Zealand. (AAP Image/NZN IMAGE, SNPA, David Rowland)
Roar Guru
28th October, 2014
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In High Fidelity, the character Barry asks Rob for the top five musical crimes perpetrated by Stevie Wonder, with a sub-question whether it was unfair to criticise a formerly great artist for his latter day sins.

Was it better to go out in a blaze of glory or fade away?

U2 are putting albums in our electronic devices like Chinese takeaway menus in our letterboxes and I have a sneaking suspicion that Keith Richards inspired the TV series The Walking Dead.

Should we not build musical rest homes – from their millions of earnings naturally – for these former greats so they can reminisce about tours gone past and bang some pots and pans together until their hearts content without fear of tarnishing their image? Surely they’ve earned the right?

The same can be asked of rugby players. Six New Zealand players’ contracts end after the 2015 World Cup, and the global event might well prove to be their swan song. Those players are Ma’a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Richie McCaw, Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock and Dan Carter.

It’s an incredible wealth of experience that teams like Australia and England would currently give their right arm for. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks but the old dogs can teach the young ones how to do their tricks right.

There are, however, some who still doubt whether these experienced players will last another season. Mils Muliaina found out the hard way in the last World Cup that there is no room for sentiment when there is so much pressure to succeed.

Why then is it such a dilemma for some to decide when it is a good time to hang up the boots?

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George Gregan lingered on late in his career like a bad smell wafting through a crowded rush-hour train. The man who came up with ‘that tackle’ and coined that succinct and brutally effective short phrase.

John Smit had a shining knight in Bismarck du Plessis already waiting to be picked, and sadly etched into my mind is a shoeless Nonu kicking out of his attempted tackle and seeing Smit down on bended knee after the final whistle looking as though he was remonstrating with God.

At least Brian O’Driscoll had a fitting end in the Six Nations. But even then I cannot help but be reminded of him standing on the sideline knowing he had come as close as one could get to beating the All Blacks.

The World Cup is often seen as a good time to bow out. That happened with the victorious England team, though to such an extent that a huge void in experience was left afterwards and England had a hugely problematic period after their World Cup euphoria.

At least they won. New Zealand went into the 1991 World Cup with a Dad’s Army team that was no match for a slicker Wallaby team. Many felt after that defeat that there should have been a more ruthless cull of veteran players well before that tournament.

For all the examples, however, of players extending their welcome, there are countless others who prove that riding out a few bumps is well worth it. Bryan Habana is like a fine wine. He had a period where he was out of form and people were pulling away at the plug, but he came back with a vengeance and showed not only centres like O’Driscoll could be breakdown specialists.

Richie McCaw is like a clever drunk at the bar. Every time the barman says he’s finished for the night, he finds a way to get another drink. This man cannot be killed by conventional weapons and it is hard to see him ever giving up, but I predict that the decision will be his to give it away and the time is coming soon.

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Younger players might have physical prowess and speed on their side but an experienced rugby player is like an experienced poker player. They’re able to call upon similar situations from the past and end up invariably making the right decisions.

A young player might pull off an amazing play like Israel Dagg did against South Africa – where he somehow evaded four Springboks on the touch line – and that’s what got him the nod ahead of Muliaina.

Yet coaches do not want to get rid of players who can offer leadership. Victor Matfield raised an eyebrow when he was recalled after the lock stocks were decimated, but even though he’s lost some stamina he sure hasn’t lost that lineout magic.

The captain Jean De Villiers is another who is on his way out. Adam Ashley-Cooper does not look as though he’s going anywhere soon but Adam Jones for Wales won’t play in the next World Cup I imagine.

We do not want our favourite players to go before their time but nor do we want them to tarnish their legendary image by staying on too long. Like creating depth, it is often a difficult balance.

Imagine what Jimi Hendrix, Neil Morrison or Kurt Cobain could have come up with if they had stayed with us a little longer.

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