Cooper: Simplify All Blacks' Super Rugby resting policy
IN THE SPOTLIGHT: All Blacks have always been the no.1 priority and in 2019 it has become the only priority.
With the World Cup in just a few months time, Super Rugby teams are forced to sidelined top players in compliance with the All Blacks’ resting policy.
New Zealand internationals are expected to play for no more than 180 minutes total over the first three matches.
The policy also states that All Blacks are limited to appearing in five games in a row.
Thus far, sides have adhered to the policy, Crusaders and Hurricanes resting the likes wit Kieran Read and Beauden Barrett for the first two weeks, respectively.
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However, heading into round three its seems like defeats and injuries could hinder some coaches intended-desire to follow the protocol.
One mentor who seems to have a really challenging time understanding the overly-complicated request is Chief’s head coach Colin Cooper.
In the wake of the Chiefs’ two consecutive defeats, including a 17-54 defeat to the Brumbies, Cooper has called for a simpler rule.
According to the Stuff, the coach suggested that New Zealand’s top players’ stand down time should be three-weeks across the board instead of the drip fed minutes they are playing at the moment.
“I think they should just cut them out of the first three games, then it’s plain and simple,” Cooper told Stuff, adding. “You can have a good plan but injuries always muck that up,”
The resting policy sees the Hamilton side without the services of All Blacks trio Anton Lienert-Brown, Nathan Harris and Nepo Laulala, while Chiefs co-captain and All Blacks lock Brodie Retallick will be available for only 33 minutes for Saturday’s home game against the Sunwolves.
Nonetheless, Retallick’s limited time did not alleviate the coach’s determination to run him out again, stating that there should be an alternative method to cope with player management during the World Cup.
“They’re rugby men,” he said.
“We try and stick to the plan, but injuries happen in this game of ours all the time.
“World Cup year is important to the country. We all want what’s best for the players. But it’s hard to manage in Super at the moment, the way it is.
“I’m just saying a simple process [would be good]. Is that the easiest way to do it, rather than minutes? Because they [All Blacks players] had no pre-season at all either, so you knock them out of the first three games and then we all know where we are, they know where they are,”
Source: @NZStuff
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