Scott Robertson reveals his plan for All Blacks’ Super Rugby Pacific player load management

Incoming New Zealand head coach Scott Robertson has revealed that he will make changes to the player load management of All Blacks players in Super Rugby Pacific.

A major benefit of having Test players centrally contracted is that it allows an international coach like Robertson to dictate to Super Rugby coaches how much rest their players require during the regular season.

That means New Zealand’s franchises will have to rearrange their line-ups due to an instruction from New Zealand Rugby whereby their Test players were not allowed to play more than five matches in a row.

Juggling act

During his successful tenure in charge of the Crusaders – where he led them to seven Super Rugby titles – Robertson had to juggle such challenges as his squad included several All Blacks, but now that he is the coach of New Zealand’s national team, he will show some flexibility, with player schedules adapted to each individual.

“We’ve changed the model,” he said. “We’ll do individual load management for the athlete, for the players.

“We found 5-6 games sometimes wasn’t enough for players, so we’ve got Super coaches to look at their draw over the round robin. They still have to have a couple of games off, but look at the draw and what’s right for that individual player… how many games do they need, sometimes they need more rest.

“How much did they play the year before and what their bodies are like. We’ve collaborated on what’s best for every individual athlete, rather than having a rule as such.

“It’s the process to get the best for them and us.”

During his stint as Crusaders coach, Robertson was not afraid to cut a few corners with regards to mandated player rest. In 2023, he successfully negotiated to keep the Christchurch-based franchise’s captain Scott Barrett on the field a little longer, when his team experienced a second-row injury crisis.

There was also disapproval from the All Blacks management, when he allowed Sam Whitelock to play against the Chiefs in the Super Rugby Pacific final despite the veteran lock risking further damage to an injured ankle.

However, maintaining the balancing act when managing player load management did not always work out so well for Robertson and the Crusaders. The men from Christchurch suffered a shock 25-24 loss to the Fijian Drua Lautoka during the early stages of last year’s Super Rugby Pacific campaign with several of their All Blacks stars being rested.

Robertson is keen for players to reach optimum level for their franchises, before playing in the international window, but understands it’s almost impossible for them to be at their best for the full year, which sees them playing 17 Super Rugby games, followed by 14 Tests.

‘All Blacks won’t play 31 games’

“They’re not going to play 31 games next year,” he said. “They’re not going to play 17 games of Super Rugby and peaking for finals footy, so they will have to be managed according to what the individual athletes needs.

“It’s individualised conversations, the medical team get involved, and we’re open and honest. It’s around the draw too, so it’s a fine balance for every one.”

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