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Opinionated Rugby Commentary - by Fans for Fans Spill what you really think about events in the rugby world.
Should Super Rugby Teams Have To Rest Players? 2 views
26 April 2015 by The Swede Eaters
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Should the administrators have the power to force Super Rugby teams to rest players?
Super Rugby teams are being forced to rest their international players ahead of the Rugby World Cup, and this is having a major impact on Super Rugby results. The swear word that became one of All Blacks coach, Sir Graham Henry's buzzwords "rotation" is back, but why should teams be forced to rest players? Players are different and some require rest, while others actually perform better with gametime.
Dan Carter for example needs gametime to reach top form, while Richie McCaw can have weeks off rugby before hitting the ground running, so why should players face blanket rules when they have different needs, and why should teams struggle in some games just because the national union demands it?
In South Africa for example, international players are not supposed to play more than five games straight, while special players should be rested more. That is why the impressive Duane Vermeulen returned home from New Zealand early.
I am not sure what would happen if teams didn't abide by the rules laid out by their national body. The Sharks for example played some of their Springboks against the Chiefs in a game they should have been rested for, but it is a big call not to play these guys if you are playing against one of the top teams.
In New Zealand, players have to be rested from two games. The Highlanders decided to rest their three All Blacks in the same game against the Brumbies in Canberra. This was a big mistake, with the team almost accepting of a defeat from the kickoff. Losing Ben Smith, Aaron Smith and Malakai Fekitoa for one game hit the Southern Men hard. The interesting thing is that these guys performed well last season despite a heavy load and seem to enjoy playing rather than resting. The Highlanders may not have beaten the Brumbies even with their three All Blacks, but they would have had a better chance. It is hard to know if coach Jamie Joseph should have rested all three All Blacks at once, or not?
Finally, according to Grant Fox, the All Blacks selectors don't have a say in which position a player plays in for their team. Why then do they have a say on if players are rested or not? I am still wondering when we will see Dan Carter in the Number 10 jersey for the Crusaders, because it would be beneficial and you think they would bend coach Todd Blackadder's hand behind his back to make sure he does play there before the international rugby season.
Should Super Rugby teams be forced to rest players? I say, hell no. Surely each Super Rugby team must do what is best for the team, even if it risks injury to the player. Super Rugby teams should want to do what is best for the player anyway, but putting a blanket rule across all teams does seem unrealistic when some players actually need gametime to improve. I guess it shows that in rugby, country still ranks higher than club in most cases. This is a big difference between rugby and football.
http://www.superrugbytips.com/2015/04/should-super-rugby-teams-be-forced-to.html
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