Finally the Great Redeemer

Writing for Rugby World magazine on the forthcoming Tri-Nations the difference in approach of the three coaches struck home – Jake White is maintaining, John Connolly is rebuilding and Graham Henry is diversifying.

More than a decade following the day at Ellis Park in June 1995 when Louis Luyt announced the formation of Sanzar and the effective end of amateur rugby, All Black coach Henry is the first rugby coach to get into full-on professional mode.

It may be argued that Clive Woodward, given the meticulous plan he orchestrated to take England to World Cup glory in 2003, was the first genuine professional but the old mores that soon returned to Twickenham showed that Sydney was the culmination of a campaign and not the changing of a culture.

However, Henry with his bold ground-breaking policy of revolving his players to create two equal-strength All Black teams is the first to confront the ever-growing fixture list with a proper solution.

There is little doubt that players are being asked to do too much while the demand on coaches and players alike to keep on winning has not been eased at all.

It is a Catch 22 but having realised that a drastic pruning of the schedule will not happen the All Black coach moved to a new way of thinking – why not split the workload between two groups of players?

Obviously rugby’s No 1 status plus an abundance of riches in playing personnel in New Zealand made it easier for Henry to modify the old approach of a single top team to maintain tradition and a history of success but there is little doubt that he has shown the way forward, especially to player-rich South Africa, in coping with an overwhelming fixture list.

Even though Henry has committed to Richie McCaw as his captain to succeed Tana Umaga he will be continuing a strategy of putting out distinctly different teams in an effort to beat player fatigue while also making a compelling statement about the depth of All Black rugby.

It worked for Henry when New Zealand swept through Britain on their Grand Slam tour last year and the coach is determined to create an awesome arsenal of All Blacks capable of stepping up against any opposition on any given Saturday no matter what the composition of his match 22.

There are the usual cracks about the All Blacks peaking between World Cups but there is no doubt, even a year out, that the Kiwis will arrive in France as favourites.

Henry has modified entrenched concepts by sending a group of players to Argentina to prepare for a one-off test against the Pumas and a similar strategy on a smaller scale will be used during the Tri-Nations when coaches have a 30-strong squad to choose from.

A small group would travel early to South Africa to acclimatise for the August 27 test in Pretoria, while the rest would remain in New Zealand for the August 19 Bledisloe Cup match against Australia at Eden Park, Auckland.

The same sized squad would be used on the end of year tour to Wales and France in an attempt to duplicate the demands of the World Cup where squads are restricted to 30 players.

This means that while Jake White is desperately nursing the like of Os du Randt, Percy Montgomery and Andre Snyman and John Connolly is equally frantically trying to broaden the base of the Wallabies, the All Blacks can confidently double up, even triple up, in every position.

Naturally it is easier for Henry to do because he does not have to concern himself with transformation and quotas as White has to, but the widening rift is apparent when comparing the recent raft of mid-year tests.

Consider this. How do you think the Boks would go against this All Black team?

15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Doug Howlett, 13 Casey Laulala, 12 Aaron Mauger, 11 Joe Rokocoko, 10 Luke McAlister, 9 Byron Kelleher, 8 Rodney So’oialo, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Troy Flavell, 4 Chris Jack, 3 Carl Hayman, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Clarke Dermody?

You think we’d be able to handle them? Good.

Okay, so the next week how do you think the Boks will go against this All Black team?

15 Leon MacDonald, 14 Rico Gear, 13 Sam Tuitupou, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Sitivini Sivivatu, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Piri Weepu, 8 Jerry Collins, 7 Chris Masoe, 6 Marty Holah, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Jason Eaton, 3 Greg Somerville, 2 Anton Oliver, 1 Tony Woodcock?

Frightening isn’t it? – especially when you consider that to these 30 players, two complete different teams, can be added Greg Rawlinson, Neemia Tialata, Andrew Hore, Craig Newby, Mose Tuiali’i, David Hill, Isaia Toeava, Scott Hamilton and Jimmy Cowan, of the current squad, plus the like of Conrad Smith, James Ryan, John Afoa, Isa Nacewa, Anthony Tuitavake, Rua Tipoki, Sione Lauaki, Andrew Ellis, Corey Flynn, Tanerau Latimer, Kevin Senio, Josh Blackie, Nick Evans, Jimmy Gopperth and Joe McDonnell who, for a variety of reasons, including injury, are not currently in the All Blacks.

It’s time to be scared, very scared.