Steve Hansen says mounting injuries and player burnout is impacting on every Test nation and is urging rugby bosses to consider a 16-week off-season.
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen is calling for an overhauled rugby calendar which allows an off-season break of up to four months for Test players.
With World Rugby considering how Test rugby will be structured from 2020, veteran coach Hansen has weighed in with the need to put player welfare first.
He said the quality of Test rugby is compromised by relentless fixture demands.
The countries that handle it best are world champions New Zealand and second-ranked Ireland, he said, both of which have buy-in between their national union and clubs to manage training and playing minutes for all players.
Even that isn’t enough, Hansen said, pointing to the tired output of his world class lock Sam Whitelock in recent Tests.
Captain of the Super Rugby champion Crusaders for two successive seasons, Whitelock is paying the price for a lengthy injury-free run and is likely to be offered a delayed start to rugby in 2019.
“Currently they don’t get enough of a break and you’ve just got to look at Sam Whitelock. You can’t keep going round and round and round and round and round without running out of petrol – at some stage you’ve got to recharge the tank,” Hansen told journalists in Tokyo.
“I don’t know how you’d structure it, but the one thing I’d really want is that everyone gets 16 weeks break between their last game and their next one.”
Having the All Blacks at optimum energy levels for big Tests away to England and Ireland next month has been an exercise in forward-planning.
Following Saturday’s 37-20 win over Australia in Yokohama, a group of 23 leading players will depart early for London this week and be replaced by an effective second XV to face Japan on Saturday.
Next week’s Test at Twickenham will highlight Hansen’s point, with England missing a virtual first XV of players because of injuries.
Hansen believed that could be traced back as far as the British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand 16 months ago. The English players haven’t had any meaningful break since because of the demands of the Premiership.
“The England boys I think have suffered a bit from the Lions tour and it’s not only one season, it kicks on,” he said.
“It’s a worldwide problem and probably the team that’s managing it best at the moment is Ireland.
“They’re pretty dictatorial about what they do. They go ‘you can’t play’ because they own the players and the franchises completely. They’ve got a good model.”
Old Bugger
Guest
Exactly. I suggest if the boot was on the other leg then would Michael, have the same response?
Old Bugger
Guest
Until we see the details of the proposed WRSeries then I agree 30something matches is a lot. But, with compulsory stand downs for ABs in SR and this proposed new series, the opportunity to reduce matches per season, can be accomplished both globally and within the 36 week calendar. It just needs the suppprt of all major unions to pursue the health of their players rather than their bank accounts.
P2R2
Roar Rookie
...you may find it boring but many others don't....as for the predictability....don't blame the ABs/NZ ...ask the WBs/RA why that is...
Michael Botsis
Guest
Play them less often and pay them less. Rugby has become boring, the players play with injuries because they get paid too much so risking missing a game or two puts them seriously out of pocket. The bledisloe is a great example of it just being far too often. We play the kiwis 3 times every year. It’s become so predictable and boring that they have to go to Japan to get crowds that are interested.
riddler
Roar Rookie
36 games is way too much. 30 is too much. back in the 70's that was ok. people won't as big and people had other stuff going on. work is healthy for a rugby player, now is impossible. 25-28 games per year is a fair whack. it is just not the physical side, the mental side is huge as well. look at marler.
Old Bugger
Guest
16weeks rnr is perfect and leaves 36weeks to play rugby. That being the case then SR will require 16-18weeks with 18-20weeks remaining for national comps and test rugby. My guess is the only unions who would oppose this scenario would be those nth of the equator. Probably explains why there’s very little support for a global season from the north.
riddler
Roar Rookie
3 months seems logical.. Should be possible. Let's not kill the golden goose. Too much intl rugby not only affects the players it also affects the fans.
riddler
Roar Rookie
Spot on
AllyOz
Roar Rookie
He makes a good point. 12 weeks might be sufficient - we need to consider the negative effects, not just of playing and training but travelling. I used to travel OS occasionally for work and it has an impact. Wallabies, All Blacks, South African and Argentinian players have a heavier travel load than their European counterparts.
Sgt Pepperoni
Roar Rookie
Same problem in the cricket. Capitalism over player welfare
Smiggle Jiggle
Roar Guru
How would you fit 16 weeks off? I say 8 weeks completely off is enough. No preseason stuff as well in those 8 weeks. A solid 2 months would be more than enough time to charge the batteries.