Blues coach Pat Lam puts a horror injury toll in Super Rugby down to a mix of bad luck and big collisions.
And he has urged the game’s decision-makers to revisit the thorny issue of the length of the off-season as all five New Zealand franchises deal with mounting injuries that are testing the depth of their resources.
Lam was missing a dozen players from his initial 32-man squad when the Blues logged their seventh straight Super Rugby victory in Wellington on Friday night, while the Highlanders and Crusaders both lost several key performers over the weekend as their injury list continued to grow.
Lam looked as if he had added Jerome Kaino to his sidelined corps when the All Blacks blindside flanker limped off last Friday night with a hamstring strain.
Even though Kaino presented fit at the Blues’ light session yesterday, Lam confirmed the big No6 would be given this week off to ease some of the load on him.
Lam said the decision to rest Kaino for Friday’s visit to the Reds was about not taking any chances with his tender hamstring and also looking to accede to the wishes of the national coaches.
“We’re working with the All Blacks coaches as well, and working out what’s best for Jerome, what’s best for New Zealand rugby and what’s best for the Blues,” Lam said. “We don’t want to take any risks at all.”
Lam said he was sure All Blacks coach Graham Henry would be anxious about all the injuries to World Cup contenders but felt there was nothing a coach could do about that.
“There’s no point worrying about it. You’ve just got to look to the next guy to come in and do the job,” he said.
Asked what he put the growing injury toll down to, Lam said: “A bit to the contest at the breakdown, a bit to freak accidents – some bad luck – and just faster, stronger [players]. I’m glad I’m not playing the game any more. There are some big collisions and certainly at the breakdown there’s a bigger contest with bigger guys.”
Lam said the change in refereeing emphasis in the tackle area had created more of a collision zone.
Though Lam puts some of the injuries down to pure bad luck – such as Conrad Smith’s broken nose – he felt a longer off-season would help address the high number of muscular-type afflictions.
“It needs to be longer,” he said. “The players don’t get enough time to prepare.”
Lam will welcome back two of his walking wounded this week to face the Reds, with lock Anthony Boric (hamstring) and inside back Luke McAlister (ankle) both set to re-enter the selection picture.