Given the disaster of 2007, it's little wonder All Black coach Graham Henry isn't keen to discuss his player welfare hopes for next year's Super rugby competition.
Henry, All Black management and key figures from New Zealand's five Super rugby franchises met in Wellington today for a two-day workshop. The goal is to formulate a plan that suits all parties in managing top players through to the World Cup late next year.
Pulling 22 leading players out of the first half of the 2007 Super 14 backfired badly on Henry. Rugby stakeholders accused New Zealand of devaluing the competition, while many blamed the rest period for the All Blacks' subsequent World Cup failure.
Henry fudged his answers when asked what proposal he would put to the franchises this week to manage player workload in the extended Super 15.
"We're marrying our ideas so we come back with one team approach, really; an All Blacks' and franchise team approach so we both benefit as best we can," he said.
"I don't think the All Blacks coaching team will be too demanding and I'm sure that the franchises will be happy with what we say. That's my gut feeling, maybe I'm wrong."
The same parties will reconvene in December to discuss finer details.
Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder stood alongside Henry during a short media briefing today and said all the right things.
"The Super rugby coaches are very much behind the All Blacks and we want them all to be successful," he said.
"We've got our own competition that we'd like to win but ultimately we want the same thing. We've had a really strong relationship with Graham and the All Blacks through the last couple of years.
"We want the All Blacks to win the World Cup . . . these two days are to make sure we're aligned and everyone's really happy."
Blackadder said expanding the squad sizes from 28 to 32 next year would make player rotation easier.
"It is a long competition so not only do you have to get results, you have to make sure your squad is refreshed and energised for the business end of the season."
Examples abound in this year's Super 14 of All Blacks being pushed hard.
Blues flanker Jerome Kaino started every game except the last, when he was injured, while Chiefs counterpart Liam Messam started all 13 games.
All Blacks Ma'a Nonu, Neemia Tialata and Andrew Hore started all 13 games for the Hurricanes, while 2009 test winger Ben Smith missed just six minutes in the Highlanders' 1040-minute campaign.
Daniel Carter and Kieran Read started 13 of the Crusaders' 15 games. And once he returned from a self-imposed break at the start of the season, Crusaders and All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw started 12 games in succession.
Henry said he couldn't ask his players to repeat the late start deliberately made this year by McCaw and Chiefs veteran Mils Muliaina.
"It's nothing to do with me," Henry told NZPA.
"It's a personal thing and if they think that's the right thing, they discuss it with the franchise coach and go from there. I wouldn't suggest to any player that they take time off."
