Bid for bigger squads 'alive'

New Zealand's Super 14 coaches remain hopeful they will win their battle to have squad sizes increased.

That victory may come as early as next year.

The Super 14 coaches believe the expanded programme next season will increase the attrition rate and legitimise their demand for more players.

The prospect of allowing Super 14 teams to contract more than 28 players next season was discussed with the New Zealand Rugby Union earlier this year, but was rejected.

The coaches were keen for an increase because with two more teams in the competition in 2006 - one in Australia and one in South Africa - the playing and travel burden for New Zealand sides in particular will be significantly heavier.

In recent seasons, nearly every New Zealand squad has been forced to call up replacement players to cover injuries.

But the NZRU said the cost of contracting more players would be too high - adding two players per squad would cost at least $650,000. The union also said the extra seven players Super 14 teams can select on part-time, reduced contracts, were adequate cover.

These players form what is called a wider training group and are contracted to be available to train two-and-a-half days a week with the full squad.

"The feedback from the coaches about the wider training group has been very positive," said NZRU deputy chief executive Steve Tew. "We will release the full selection protocols in time, but the coaches would be wise to anticipate little change."

Blues coach David Nucifora accepts the situation can't be changed in time for the 2006 season, but would like the issue debated again after next year's competition.

The Australian squads may contract 32 players and also offer flexible rookie contracts that give them full access to a further five young players. The South Africans don't have a capped number but tend to operate with 32 players.

"The proof will be in the pudding," said Nucifora in response to whether 28 is enough. "The game is becoming far more of a collision sport and injuries have been going up each year. Teams have been using on average 30 players a year, sometimes as many as 34 or 35. We have the wider training group and that is there for us to fall back on.

"It has been discussed but it's not going to happen this year. I don't think it is dead and buried for the following year ... With 14 teams it is going to be new to everyone. But looking at the last few years, the intensity and the battering the players take, it does put a huge strain on your squad.

"If you look at the teams that have won it [Super 12] in the last few years, they have all had low injury rates, be it through good luck or good management."

Chiefs coach Ian Foster said next season coaches would have to give more consideration to rotating players and using the full depth of the squad. "I think the franchises are already trying to rotate players a bit more.

"Going to a 13-game round-robin is certainly going to increase that possibility."

Highlanders coach Greg Cooper agrees. He admits that last season they were initially reluctant to put their trust in players on the fringes.

"We were forced into playing Hale T-Pole when Josh [Blackie] was away with the sevens team and Craig [Newby] was injured. Hindsight has shown us that we probably didn't trust the player and his desire to perform at that level.

It's a mindset other sports have embraced well... the All Black campaign showed they are coming to terms with it."

- HERALD ON SUNDAY