Although he has always defended Super Rugby’s All Blacks rest protocols, Chief Executive Officer for New Zealand Rugby Mark Robinson has let it be known that the contentious policy will be reviewed later on in 2020.
Known as the Load Management Policy, it has come under fire from commentators and coaches alike. Critics say that it alienates supporters, devalues the contest, and hurts players’ careers.
Tony Brown, assistant coach for the Highlanders, recently expressed his concerns over the approach, saying that it has already cost several players their careers. He said that it has long been the approach to athletes like Dan Carter, Kieran Read, and Richie McCaw who need the rest, but to keep it even NZ Rugby has made every All Black resting mandatory.
Brown said that he thinks it cost a few of the national team’s players their careers. He mentioned Highlanders like Elliot Dixon, Malakai Fekitoa, and Waisake Naholo, saying that they didn’t get enough playing time in. He said that the rest policies made it impossible for them to train properly for Super Rugby, so their form dropped and they lost their spots on the national team.
The rest policy rules have been in place since 2010 and say that top players will play 40, 60, and then 80 minutes over the first three Super Rugby rounds, but these can be managed differently, so 60, 60, and 60 would be possible. They also get a fortnight away from the team or to focus on how they are in terms of physical conditioning.
| # | Site | Bonus | Bet | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Ladbrokes |  | 5/5 | 100% Match up to $250 NZD | Bet now Review |
| 2 |  | Palmerbet | | 4.9/5 | 100% Match | Bet now |
More About Trent Wilson
Trent Wilson is OnlineBetting.nz’s resident sports news expert. He draws on his extensive sporting knowledge, his qualification in sports management and his passion for betting to provide the latest, most up to date information on sporting events in New Zealand and across the globe. Trent is a veritable treasure trove of sports information and has been betting online for several years. He prides himself in keeping his readers informed, and in always offering an unbiased standpoint that reflects exactly what’s going on in the sports world.
View Posts - Visit WebsiteYou May Also Like:
Black Ferns Two Years Without Test Rugby
By the time New Zealand’s Black Ferns get to play test rugby again, they’ll have gone two years without playing as much as a single test match. Such has been the impact of the ongoing global crisis on the sporting calendar. An overseas tour is possibly in the offing for ….
Sevens Star Says She’s Dreaming Of Whistle
So eager has Sevens star Rubi Tui become to get back to playing sport that she’s started to hear a whistle in her dreams. New Zealand’s Black Ferns Sevens have been severely impacted by the global sports hiatus – and perhaps more so than most other national NZ sporting teams. ….
No Use Sulking Says Hurricanes Hooker
Dane Coles says there’s no cause to be made for crying over spilt milk and that what the Hurricanes really need right now is an honest approach – from players as well as coaches. The Hurricanes hooker recently commented on a disappointing Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign that saw the franchise ….
Rob Penney Blamed For Waratahs Decline – And Sacked
After 18 months of coaching the Waratahs, Rob Penney has been shown the door. This comes after the team experienced five consecutive loses in the beginning of the year. This dire record has been a shocker for fans and bettors alike, and now the team has taken action. However, Penney ….
Mose Masoe Opens Up About Injury Struggles
Kiwi-born former rugby league powerhouse Mose Masoe has for the first time really opened up about the severity of the career-ending spinal injury he sustained nearly 14 months ago. The 31-year-old suffered the injury while competing in a preseason friendly, damaging two vertebrae in a seemingly harmless tackle. Even though ….