Peter Bills wrote an article in the New Zealand Herald warning (or is he looking for excuses) that the New Zealand S15 Franchises are bashing each other to a pulp just in time for the World Cup.
He writes: “The pace and physicality of the Super 15 since it began in February has to be increasingly draining these guys. For the best, and that means most of the All Blacks, it will go on for the rest of this month. The Super 15 final isn’t until July 9. And then comes … the Tri-Nations. If a side like the Crusaders reach the final, it could be they’ll have to play it in South Africa.
Add on another punishing trip across the world to the general fatigue that is slowly creeping up on them like some silent assassin. By the time they get back, their best players will be about due to go into camp for the Tri-Nations.
The intensity of matches like the Crusaders v Blues on a heavy Timaru ground on Saturday night made light of unenlightened Northern Hemisphere critics who say anything played south of the equator is candyfloss rugby. The physical commitment at the breakdown, the scrums and in the loose would have had the All Black selectors grimacing. Watching All Black World Cup forwards like Keven Mealamu, Kieran Read, Jerome Kaino and the Franks brothers smashing each other into submission may have made great viewing. But there could be a price to pay at the end of this extended competition. They could be playing into the hands of the Northern Hemisphere nations”.
He seems to be more concerned about the Northern Hemisphere benefitting from it than South Africa or Australia as he writes: “The season is over in the Northern Hemisphere. And apart from some warm-up games in August, matches such as France v Ireland and Wales v England, the British, Irish and French players won’t be involved in anything much until the World Cup starts on September 9.
You might think that’s too long without serious involvement. But most of the World Cup pool games will act as warm-ups; the standard of the early games is so low that teams a bit short of match fitness can acquire it against lower level opposition early in the tournament”.
Fact is the South African sides has the same problem and Jamie Joseph (Highlander’s coach) has complained about the lightness of the Australian S15 contests in comparison with intensity and severity of the New Zealand clashes.
Bills didn’t want to go that far (classifying the Australian matches as light) but writes: “There may be only one answer to the dilemma facing Graham Henry, Peter de Villiers and Robbie Deans, respective coaches of the three great Southern Hemisphere nations: to totally devalue the Tri-Nations by leaving out most of the top guys to give them a chance for some rest.
Now that might upset the TV moguls who fork out millions for the right to show these games. But it’s time rugby stood up against television, not just cravenly capitulated to every demand. The game has bowed to the screen for too many years and it’s time it stopped”.
South Africa has the Currie Cup on top of the yearly S15 and Tri-nations and in general our A level players are playing way to much rugby.
It is not just the physical strain but also the mental strain that culminates into players losing form. It is interesting that almost all the South African players who have left South African shores to play in France and the UK have shown remarkable improvement in form.
Yes they are a little off the pace when they get dumped into Southern hemisphere test rugby but that is exactly the point here. The drop in intensity of the rugby gives them some mental and physical recovery time. Don’t be surprised if England or Australia walks away with the WC this year due to South Africa and New Zealand players being either injured of mentally and physically too exhausted to handle the pressure and strain of WC semi-final matches.
I have to admit that I’ve watched very few matches so far. It is just too much rugby and I’ve switched off to some extent.
Hello McLook, much of what he wrote was raised as concerns regarding the Super 15 by many punters before the competition started. One might argue that the players are professionals so should just get on with it, but they are human too and can’t always perform to their best for such a long time, even if they were machines they would need some ‘downtime for maintenance’. I may be barking up the wrong tree but is it any coincidence that some the Bulls players who are being praised haven’t had as much rugby as all the others, I think for example of Rossouw Chilliboy and Basson, the latter 2 got a break away from much of the preseason training albeit for unfortunate reasons, and over time Rossouw has played a lot of his games coming on as substitute. Could it be they are that little bit fresher than some others.
I am undecided about England, there are times when I think they have quite a few really talented players in their team and should do well but then they go and deliver sub-par performances like they did at time during last autumn internationals and 6 nations. There just seems to be something missing and I think for the World Cup the so called big match temperament could just be lacking on their part. Another factor, you may know this better than me, but how many times if ever have England beaten the All Blacks in New Zealand?
Am not happy that Bills speaks of the northern hemisphere warmup games refferring to Fra v Ire and Wales v Eng, oi what about Scotland v Ireland…! 😉 I guess we will just have to wait and see how the teams who the author writes should arrive at the Cup more rested do compared to the Trinations lot.
Bullscot wrote:
Good point Bullcot. There is also a number of people here in NZ that shouts conspiracy with the so-called frequent injuries that McCaw and Carter have been suffering so far this season.
Injuries to FdP, Rossouw, Juan Smit, Jacque Fourie might be all helpful to our cause. England have beaten the AB in NZ in 2003. At this stage considering the thumping we gave a much written-up England team during last years EOYT you might be right that they (England) is still at least two years away from taking on the big boys.
Freshness in the legs and team cohesiveness is the anly thing that can derail SA and NZ I would think but never rule the Aussies and Frogs out for upsetting a few teams.
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