All Blacks: ABs call on Super coaches

Graham Henry. Photo / Getty Images.

With memories of the 2007 preparation debacle still fresh, the All Black coaches remain a little secretive about how they plan to handle the management of leading players in 2011.

Graham Henry and his assistants met their Super 15 counterparts in Wellington last week to hammer out the last of the fine detail - to create watertight plans around a wider group of 45 players in the frame for World Cup selection.

Most of the planning had already been done; this was to ensure everyone was on the same page. The key aims were to determine workloads; detail the forum for communication; and to nail down when the All Black coaches would be hands-on at franchises.

Confusion reigned in 2007 when the integration of players into their franchises after their reconditioning window was a shambles. The window created an edge between the All Black and franchise coaches - exacerbated when key players such as Ali Williams couldn't force their way back into starting XVs.

There was frustration for many players who felt isolated and disconnected by missing so much of the Super 14.

Henry is anxious to avoid a repeat of 2007 but the basic rationale that drove the reconditioning window remains. There is genuine concern that, if the leading players are flogged through Super 15 and go straight into a Tri Nations and then the World Cup, they will be physically and emotionally exhausted.

"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."

Detail has not been revealed but from experience, it's likely key All Blacks will be given extra time off around bye weekends. The season falls quite neatly in that most teams will play for six-eight weeks, have a bye, then play another six-eight weeks before another week off.

That might see someone like Mils Muliaina take the week off before the bye and be afforded a two-week absence from all rugby.

Henry has also said he would like to see players leave the team environment completely when they have time off - go on holiday, stay away from training for a total break.

The other detail Henry wanted to clear up before Christmas was the need to keep open communication between the national and franchise coaches. About 80 per cent of the World Cup squad is known (unforeseen circumstances apart) but there are probably 20-25 others vying for the remaining 10 places.

The All Black coaches want strong feedback from Super 15 coaches about individuals' physical and mental states. They also want to be able to give players detailed feedback about what they need to improve. Sometimes those areas might not suit the franchise, which is why there has to be certainty about jurisdiction.

"We'll spend two nights and three days with the franchises probably three times," said Henry. "We'll have the ability to have contact with the individual players, but we want it to be 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 the potential to be World Cup All Blacks. 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 key difference between 2011 and 2007 is the players will be more involved in shaping their programmes. Last time, they were dictated to; this time, they have had input, which is why they will miss only a few games.

Those who toured the UK with the All Blacks are not due back to their franchises until early February. The season proper starts that month.