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Opinion
I was a victim of clickbait once again, in recent days.
Rieko Ioane had apparently sent the rugby world into ‘shock’. Yes, in a ‘stunning’ development, it turns out the All Blacks centre is taking up his contracted sabbatical.
I wasn’t to know that at the time. No, like the lemming I sometimes am, I rushed to click on a headline that said Ioane was off to Ireland.
Not for long, mind. No, instead of following the well-trodden path to Japan, Ioane is having his paid holiday in Ireland.
Fascinating.
Rieko Ioane. (Photo by Dan Mullan – RFU/The RFU Collection via Getty Images)
And I say holiday, because that’s what these New Zealand Rugby-endorsed sabbaticals once were. In 2010, when sabbaticals were in their infancy, lock Ali Williams got time off to sift around the United States.
Sure, there was talk of him doing some corporate speaking and maybe a coaching clinic or two but, essentially, Williams got the all-clear to go and do a bit of sightseeing.
I’ve no real problem with that. In more recent times, Warriors half Chanel Harris-Tavita took a break from the game to go travelling and has since resumed his NRL career.
In a number of regards, that’s what a sabbatical should be.
Since Williams, the sabbaticals granted by New Zealand Rugby (NZR) have been playing ones. Usually in Japan, where players can get in a good training block, play occasionally and generally come back mentally and physically refreshed.
I’m not a fan of these sabbaticals, as I’ve said many times. If a player has had enough of playing in New Zealand – and Mark Tele’a was the latest to say so – good luck out there. I wish you well.
I have great respect for guys who decline contract extensions and who opt to come out from under the umbrella of the NZR nanny state.
That’s far more admirable than artificially elongating your test career by having a season in Japan, every other year. I’m certainly tired of watching guys do that and seeing NZR wilfully damage our domestic competitions as a result.
But, if I had anything good to say about these Japanese jaunts, at least they’re not too hard on the body. Certainly not in comparison to what Jordie Barrett’s up to in Ireland at the moment and what Ioane has ahead of him.
It is absurd that NZR would allow this. It’s weak, it’s short-sighted, it’s nonsensical.
European rugby is no holiday. In fact, it’s more physically demanding than the Super Rugby these players are theoretically getting a break from. And, again, if guys have had enough of playing here, good luck. You go with my blessing. I’ll even drop you at the airport if you like.
You won’t be as pampered as you are here, nor Japan for that matter.
I’m not going to be critical of Ioane, because I do enough of that where he’s concerned. I’m not a fan and I won’t miss him.I also feel a bit foolish for seeing headlines and assuming he must be going for good.
No, I’m again bewildered by NZR here.
The intent of these sabbaticals, going back to when they were first instituted in Williams’ day, was to give players a break from the week-to-week grind of rugby.
They were alien concepts to start with, but we were a trusting bunch and assumed NZR knew what it was doing.
Even when Daniel Carter blew out an Achilles, on his sabbatical to Pergignan in 2008, there seemed to be a bright side. Carter played a lot of provincial rugby for Canterbury the following year, as part of his rehabilitation, which was a huge boost for that competition.
No-one was thrilled to see Carter sustain serious injury while on a cash-grab in France, but all appeared to be forgiven once he was fit enough to return to the All Blacks’ fold.
Only from then on, Carter wasn’t the player he’d once been. He became prone to injury and never scaled the brilliant heights he had prior to 2008.
All Blacks coaches, I’m thinking particularly of Steve Hansen here, grew increasingly exasperated with questions about Carter’s place in the side.
Dan Carter. (Photo by Richard Heathcote – World Rugby via Getty Images/World Rugby via Getty Images)
The fact Carter’s career finished on a high note, at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, enabled Hansen to tell all and sundry they’d been wrong to write the champion first five-eighth off.
But, the fact is, allowing Carter to play in Europe hurt him, the All Blacks and NZR for seasons to come.
A lot of institutional knowledge has left NZR since but if players such as Barrett and Ioane are treasured assets and, let’s face it, you have to be to be granted a sabbatical in the first place, why on earth are they being allowed to go to Europe?
There’s only so many collisions an elite rugby player’s body can withstand and there’s a lot more waiting for you at an Irish club than a Japanese one.
I welcome the day when NZR has the fortitude to scrap sabbaticals entirely. But, if they insist upon using them as a bargaining chip, a holiday in the United States or some kick and giggle in Japan is a far better bet than a season with Leinster.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.