All Blacks: Long breaks likely for ABs

Sam Whitelock was outstanding on tour, says Graham Henry, who rates him a strong contender for the World Cup. Photo / Getty Images

Leading All Blacks are likely to get extended periods of rest in next year's Super 15 as attention turns to the World Cup starting in September.

Reflecting on a successful 2010, Graham Henry said the biggest challenge ahead of the showpiece tournament was keeping players from burning out mentally.

All Black management will meet the Super 15 coaches in Wellington next week to start formulating plans and individual player programmes.

"Our biggest challenge is that they've got to be reasonably sharp mentally coming into the World Cup and the Tri Nations prior," Henry said.

"If they're buggered it's going to be very difficult. It's keeping them fresh, it's keeping on communicating with them and the Super 15 coaches to see how we can do that."

The New Zealand Rugby Union will be reluctant to use terms like enforced rest and all the negative connotations that brings.

They would prefer it to be seen as a commonsense approach that could, for example, see some of the leading players take the week immediately prior or following a bye off to give them a two-week rest.

Super rugby begins on February 18 and runs through to the middle of July, with two bye weeks per team.

New Zealand's Tri Nations campaign begins on July 30 and runs through to August 27, before the World Cup kicks off on September 9.

If your franchise made it through to the Super 15 final, some players would be faced with almost non-stop rugby from February 18 to two weeks before the World Cup.

Henry said they planned to have drawn up a calendar before Christmas that will detail when, where and for how long the All Blacks coaches involvement with each franchise would be.

"It won't be set in concrete but will give us a fair idea," he said.

"We'll spend two nights and three days with the franchises probably three times. We'll have the ability to have contact with the individual players, but we want it to be very transparent, so we want the Super 15 coaches at our one-on-one meetings.

"When we go to the franchises we'll have one-on-ones with an extended All Black squad who have potential to be a World Cup All Black.

"We'll be talking to them about their game, about how the game is developing.

"We'll also work with the Super 15 coaches to give them constant feedback on the way they're playing and how we think they can improve their game."

The Grand Slam tour, the crowning achievement in a year of regeneration for the All Blacks, has given them confidence that they have a core of players who have no problem producing the goods at test level week after week.

Henry pointed to the example set by Tony Woodcock, who played every minute of every test.

He also believed that the core aims of the tour - to win, to improve the type of rugby they want to play and to see improvement in individual players - had been achieved.

The only area of real concern was the back-up first five-eighth, with Stephen Donald failing to convince that the job should be his.

Instead he will be in a three-way extended trial during the Super 15, with the Hurricanes Aaron Cruden and, probably, the narrow favourite for the role, Colin Slade of the Highlanders.

HENRY ON ...

Owen Franks ...

"He is now a pretty mature international tighthead prop and I've noticed a huge difference in him. His around-the-field play has improved immensely. He's made giant strides."

Hika Elliot ...

"Has pleased us immensely, so if we go into the World Cup with three hookers he's a distinct possibility."

John Afoa ...

"He's the ideal sub because he's a bloody good athlete."

Sam Whitelock ...

"Has been outstanding. He didn't play his best game against Wales but he's had a great tour. He's a real contender now for the World Cup. He could be an outstanding lock forward."

Jerome Kaino ...
"Showed he's world class."

The third halfback ...
"I think there's still competition for that third halfback position. We're hoping Piri Weepu's right, obviously."

Ma'a Nonu and Sonny Bill Williams ...
"Ma'a took up the challenge of not being in the starting XV superbly. He came on and made a statement and you can't ask for anything more than that. Sonny Bill is going to get better with experience. It's going to be a competition."

Openside flank backup ...
"I don't think we're thin at seven at all. Daniel Braid played bloody well. He was hard done by I thought, with the yellow card. He's a very good player and there's other sevens in New Zealand that can play so seven is not an issue at all."

World Cup places ...
"There's going to be huge competition for places in the World Cup team, some brilliant players are going to miss out."

2010 ...
"Brilliant."