Ben Smith has activated a sabbatical clause in his contract. Photo / Photosport
Ben Smith has activated a sabbatical clause in his contract. Photo / Photosport
Following the conclusion of the All Blacks-Lions series there have been a number of rushed conclusions that the gap between the north and south is closer than ever.
On the field, with the slumps of Australia, South Africa and Argentina combined with the Lions' drawn series against the All Blacksthat may be true, although the theory will only be proved come the business end of the next Rugby World Cup.
Look off the field, however, at player welfare and Ben Smith's upcoming sabbatical, announced at the end of last week, and there is a reminder that no one is better at looking after their top talent than New Zealand.
The world's best fullback, now 31, has triggered a clause in his contract allowing him to miss the tail end of 2017.
Smith will reportedly be unavailable for four tests in the Rugby Championship, stepping aside after the opening two matches of the competition against Australia, as well as New Zealand's four-match end-of-year tour, which includes a clash with the Barbarians at Twickenham before facing France, Scotland and Wales.
After 62 caps and in his ninth season of Super Rugby, it feels like Smith's break from the game has come at the right time, having been sidelined this season with an inner-ear issue leading to vertigo and dizziness, originally believed to be a series of concussions.
Traditionally, the Highlanders captain is a regular in the Super Rugby top-10 for carries, metres made, offloads, defenders beaten and clean breaks.
No player made more ground in 2013 and 2014. Now the Highlanders get can get that version of Smith back next year.
In opting to take a sabbatical, Smith follows the lead of Dan Carter and Richie McCaw, both of whom took breaks from the game in the lead-up to the 2015 Rugby World Cup, as well as Conrad Smith.
Both in their 30s at the time, future hall-of-famers Carter and McCaw credited the decision with adding years onto the end of their careers.
There were undoubted perks, including attendance at Oscars parties as well as the Masters for Carter. McCaw's travels in North America and Europe allowed him to enjoy relative anonymity compared to back home in the New Zealand rugby fishbowl.
Dan Carter snapped with Elton John on his sabbatical. Photo / Photosport
The chance for Smith to spend more time at home with his young family rather than being on tour with the All Blacks in Argentina, South Africa and then Europe is one most top athletes would grab with both hands.
Not, it should be stressed, because of a flippant attitude regarding the importance of representing their country. Young male and female athletes at the peak of their careers often sacrifice valuable family time being away from home, particularly in international rugby.
Offering their leading players the option of a sabbatical was originally viewed as a ploy by New Zealand Rugby to simply keep their top talent happy with the option of a well-paid stint overseas before returning to the All Blacks, which is certainly the route Carter went in 2009 when he joined Perpignan, an experiment which ended prematurely after rupturing his Achilles.
As rugby has grown ever more physical, the purpose of the concept has changed entirely. A sabbatical now represents the chance for a mental and physical reset from a brutal schedule as opposed to a quick payday.
Richie McCaw with MMA fighter Brice Ritani-Coe. Photo / Photosport
Smith's turn for a break has come while Kieran Read, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick and possibly Dane Coles and Beauden Barrett are all well within their rights to ask for that option in their contracts, and then to take it when the time is right.
No other country has an equivalent system either, because of financial or contractual limitations - aside from Australia with a once in a generation player such as David Pocock, who otherwise might have been lost to the euro or yen for ever.
When pinpointing why the All Blacks still sit ahead of the rest of the world, even with England closing, the sabbatical is a trump card.
Plus, with Smith unavailable for eight tests, Hansen is able to give Jordie Barrett a prolonged run in the No15 shirt, after he impressed in third test against the Lions, or to try out other options including the mercurial Damian McKenzie to continue to build up New Zealand's depth ahead of their bid for a third straight Rugby World Cup title.
All before the return of the game's leading fullback, refreshed and rejuvenated. If the gap really is closing on the field, New Zealand still hold a major advantage off it.
