World Cup hunger drives ABs plan

The All Black certainty that they are doing the right thing by removing 22 players from the Super 14 stems from a subtle mind-shift that has probably gone undetected - the All Blacks are no longer considered rugby players, they are athletes.

As athletes, they have more complex needs that are increasingly difficult to service in the regular season.

Every coach strives to build bigger, faster, stronger athletes but the continuous cycle of train-play-train-play is not conducive to realising that aim.

Players typically hit a conditioning ceiling during that train-play cycle. They tend to "flat-line" - getting no stronger, faster or fitter. However, a conditioning window allows players to build up their physical abilities so that, when they get back into game time, their conditioning base is better.

They still "flat-line" during the season but at a higher level, thanks to their conditioning. As All Black conditioning coach Graham Lowe explains: "Coming out of games, players need two to three days' recovery time. The first real training opportunity is on a Tuesday and your window for preparation is very tight.

"You have Wednesday and then you have to start re-preparing for the next game so it is very challenging to do anything above just maintaining conditioning.

"The guts of it is that it is a lot easier to lose strength, speed and power than it is to gain them."

The point, essentially, is that over the season, most individuals become better rugby players but they don't grow as athletes. The concept of the conditioning window is to restore the balance and try to build the physical side of the individual.

To make major physical gains takes a prolonged period of tailored hard work. It is a long way from the image engendered by the phrase "conditioning break" - leaving an impression the players will be inactive, enjoying an extended summer on the beach.

According to Lowe, the players will be put through searching programmes that will push them out of their individual comfort zones.

"We do a needs analysis on the individuals and understand the gameplan, then come up with a programme. In some cases that will mean building muscle mass, in others it will be ways we can improve the overall strength-power package. Take Tony Woodcock; he's had a couple of calf-type injuries so we will look at ways we can strengthen that area.

"We want these guys to make significant physical gains and we want them to be in prime physical and mental condition by the World Cup. We want them to be excited about playing rugby when they come back into the Super 14."