Rugby: Ten All Blacks in cotton wool

Richard Kahui. Photo / Getty Images

Ten All Blacks are off limits to their provinces before the end-of-year tour as the selectors begin their long-term World Cup preparations.

The rest of the squad involved in the Tri-Nations will be drip-fed into the ITM Cup if they are wanted by their provinces.

"Many of the players, especially those in the All Blacks' starting XV, have had a big year with Super 14 rugby and the test season, while others haven't played as much rugby," coach Graham Henry said. "So we are taking a sensible approach in managing their workload as we prepare for the end-of-year tour as well as the new Super Rugby competition in 2011."

Meanwhile midfield back Richard Kahui had an arthroscopy yesterday on his right shoulder, damaged in his return to the Waikato side. Surgery would inspect any damage on the interior of the joint and, if necessary, Kahui would have an operation.

Team doctor Deb Robinson said hooker Keven Mealamu would be out of rugby for several weeks with a strained calf muscle, while first five-eighths Aaron Cruden was recovering from a sprained left ankle.

The five-test end-of-year tour starts on October 30 in Hong Kong, leaving the All Blacks with an awkward interval before they leave. But it seems a few such as Andrew Hore and Isaia Toeava will resume playing then after recovering from serious injuries.

Once the tour is over and the players go on leave, they face a 2011 year of new challenges.

The retooled Super Rugby competition starts in mid-February and the champions might play 19 games before those who make the All Blacks advance to four Tri-Nations tests and then a potential seven World Cup internationals.

Henry has accepted there cannot be a blanket rule about rest for test candidates during the Super Rugby series but he suggested at least four weeks away from the game.

Similar sentiments have been delivered by South African sports scientist Professor Tim Noakes, who said players had to be managed through Super Rugby if they were to be at their best in the seventh World Cup.

He felt the ideal workload for top players next season should be about 17 games if they were to have the best shot at claiming the World Cup. He had a radical suggestion for the Springboks to stay at that level.

"Don't play your best players against South African teams," he said. "It makes a lot more sense to want to beat New Zealand and Australian teams. You have to beat your opponents if you want to be successful in the World Cup."

That idea though runs against the marketing thrust of the new series with extra domestic pool matches.

Henry told the Herald recently the key to teams' success in Super Rugby would be using and trusting their entire squad. That could be achieved by allowing potential All Blacks to miss games either side of the twin byes each team received.

"That is a logical way of looking at it and if players are out we think they should be out," Henry said.

"They should go away, get out of the rugby environment, freshen up mentally and physically."

PRESERVING THE PLAYERS

Exempt All Blacks:

Mils Muliaina, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Daniel Carter, Piri Weepu, Kieran Read, Richie McCaw, Jerome Kaino, Sam Whitelock.

All Blacks available for ITM Cup:

5 games: Colin Slade, Anthony Boric, Liam Messam, Benson Stanley, Rene Ranger.
4: Corey Flynn, John Afoa.
3: Aaron Cruden.
2: Victor Vito, Joe Rokocoko, Israel Dagg.
1: Keven Mealamu, Ben Franks, Tony Woodcock, Owen Franks, Tom Donnelly, Brad Thorn, Jimmy Cowan.