Players that need a sabbatical from playing the game

The rugby season is jam-packed, the players over-played and the game gets more physical each year as teams find new monsters in the deepest darkest valleys of their country... Unfortunately for some players injuries have all but ended their playing career. Whilst most players seem to be coping and even playing with injury niggles there are certainly a few I know of who could do with a sabbatical - and isn't Alex Corbiseiro currently on one?

There have been some players who had a sabbatical written into their contracts with the purpose of it being a sweetener for forgoing more lucrative contracts overseas, and to extend a playing career. The two obvious ones that spring to mind here are Dan Carter and Richie McCaw. Carter was offered a sabbatical earlier in his career so that he could spend a season in the Top 14, but aggravated a previous ankle injury and missed the majority of the season (but still got the pay out). McCaw sat out 10 months of rugby, that covered an entire super rugby season and the All Blacks June tests; he made his return to rugby by playing for club side Canterbury and entered the rugby championship before the RWC - he was able to play through it due to his sabbatical, after having played at the previous world cup with a foot injury.

Two players important to Wales who I believe are in need of a sabbatical are Sam Warburton and Alun Wyn Jones. Since 2012 Sam seems to have spent a lot of his career injured and without looking I believe the stats and back that up, not to mention his operations. AWJ last game before his one last week was against England in mid March, but up to that point he had admitted that both his foot injuries had been troubling him for a while, thus it inhibited his training and playing form. If we wish for these players to play at the next world cup then I think it's a good idea that they get a sabbatical, perhaps a 6 month one where they would miss the AI series and 6N; but be available for the latter stages of the club season and the Lions tour - so not a convenient time to take one I guess, but if not now, when?

I understand it isn't an easy decision to take a sabbatical for most players, especially for some Wales players, but perhaps dual and central contracted players would be able to better negotiate one into their contract. Thoughts?

Until the length of the Rugby season becomes rational, which may not happen in our lifetimes, then players need rest. The point you make is a good one and Warburton clearly needs a break. And many others.

Well, obviously Phil Vickery for one.

MD,

I agree on both those and would add Roberts and Faletau to the list.

Roberts for the style of game he plays, surely his body must be in bits after each game.

As for Faletau, well he may not get injured much but because of that fact he most probably plays more than anyone else, he's first name on the team sheet and plays the full 80 every game.

With a Lions tour next year and unless there is a huge drop in form I would imagine all 4 will tour at least so that's another full cycle of playing etc.

bedfordwelsh wrote:MD,

I agree on both those and would add Roberts and Faletau to the list.

Roberts for the style of game he plays, surely his body must be in bits after each game.

As for Faletau, well he may not get injured much but because of that fact he most probably plays more than anyone else, he's first name on the team sheet and plays the full 80 every game.

With a Lions tour next year and unless there is a huge drop in form I would imagine all 4 will tour at least so that's another full cycle of playing etc.

A good comparison is Robshaw. That man needs the summer off, but just keeps going. I believe when he breaks down, there will be no come back at all. People like him, Roberts, and so on, need time for the bodies to recover, even if not readily apparent at the moment. it is possible to keep playing on guts, but that only works for a finite amount of time.

Roberts and Faletau are lucky on the injury front, particularly Faletau and he's still quite young. But I see your point and if we want them to continue playing on for a while then they could do with a rest as there isn't signs of the global season coming in any time soon.

Also players themselves know how much they can take. These guys and Robshaw don't look or act tired at all, but if they ever feel they need a break then I hope they put their hands up and say, rather than continue playing on with an injury and more than likely make things worse.

I think players do know how they feel. But they also worry about being dropped, especially from their national sides. To me, I look at our players as trying to balance numerous priorities, and play today versus health tomorrow is almost unfair. This is why I think a rational season is so important.

Last year the NFL Players Association vetoed a proposal by the NFL to increase the season from 16 games to 18 games. Although the proposal included a proportional increase in all salaries, the NFLPA turned down the proposal due to player health concerns. And our Rugby players are playing 30+ games per season. It does boggle the mind sometimes.

Yeah Robshaw is another good example of someone who just seems to keep going.

Mikey,

You might know more than me but I've heard before than both Jones' use to have quite a hrd time of it when they tried to rest Faletau.

He just wants to play every game but players like him need a break sometimes.

mikey_dragon wrote:Players themselves know how much they can take. These guys and Robshaw don't look or act tired at all, but if they ever feel they need a break then I hope they put their hands up and say, rather than continue playing on with an injury and more than likely make things worse.

It shouldn't be the players' decision to make. I think it's poor that Wales played Warburton and Alun Wyn in the Six Nations while admitting that neither of them was 100%. If they're not 100%, rest them and play someone else. We do have alternatives in their positions. If we'd done that, we might not have the prospect of a young player (Ellis Jenkins) potentially having to make his full Test debut against New Zealand in New Zealand.

Should there be one for posters as well?

I'm worn out typing gibberish on here, if the rugby could just stop for a few weeks, it would do me an awful lot of good.

I agree.  Guys that talk common sense don't use as much energy. They're probably able to go through the summer tours ok with little burn-out risks.  

A good pre-season for them and they should be back fresh and ready with the stats, team-sheets and stadium loan payback spread sheets next season.  

But the shyte talkers, Jesus do we need a break!  I'm knackered and I'm playing on with a serious niggle imposed by Phil when he hit me from the side without the ball.

SecretFly wrote:I agree.  Guys that talk common sense don't use as much energy. They're probably able to go through the summer tours ok with little burn-out risks.  

A good pre-season for them and they should be back fresh and ready with the stats, team-sheets and stadium loan payback spread sheets next season.  

But the shyte talkers, Jesus do we need a break!  I'm knackered and I'm playing on with a serious niggle imposed by Phil when he hit me from the side without the ball.

I didn't want to say anything Fly, but now that you've brought it up, those Joycean outbursts, and free-wheeling, mind-spinning, on the highway, off the road, Kerouac-fuelled, tripping the light fantastical diatribes of yours were beginning to get me a teensy-weensy bit worried. You might be overdoing it a bit - maybe have another barbeque sausage.

PS - getting stats together is no easy task, I'll have you know. I've had to peruse mountains of dusty old Moore's Almanacs just to calculate the likely mean temperatures for 3 October 2023 in McHale Park when Enda stands in the centre circle ready to hop the ball to start the opening match.

Players will never say they aren't fit enough to play so sometimes it does need the coaches or even the medical staff to insist on them being rested.

I doubt very much it would ever happen but maybe there should be an enforced ruling that if a player has been playing constantly for almost 4/5 seasons solid such as Faletau - 2013 Lions Season, 2014 normal season, 2015 WC season, 2016 normal season into 2017 Lions seasons then they have to have a minimum break of say 3 months.

Like said would never happen but it is something that needs to be looked at.

bedfordwelsh wrote:Players will never say they aren't fit enough to play so sometimes it does need the coaches or even the medical staff to insist on them being rested.

I doubt very much it would ever happen but maybe there should be an enforced ruling that if a player has been playing constantly for almost 4/5 seasons solid such as Faletau - 2013 Lions Season, 2014 normal season, 2015 WC season, 2016 normal season into 2017 Lions seasons then they have to have a minimum break of say 3 months.

Like said would never happen but it is something that needs to be looked at.

I agree, but would go one step further.  I believe we should have a 3 month off season every year for the benefit of all players.  
Now that is fantasy land, eh?

Pot Hale wrote:

PS - getting stats together is no easy task, I'll have you know.    I've had to peruse mountains of dusty old Moore's Almanacs just to calculate the likely mean temperatures for 3 October 2023 in McHale Park when Enda stands in the centre circle ready to hop the ball to start the opening match.  

Oh don't get me wrong. Pot.  I love a smart stat guy.  You're certainly on my 'smart' list in that sense.  I love a guy who kills a bluff stone dead with a well crafted stat-attack or two.   But my wanderly wagon brain protests strongly in my ear when I linger around a stats thread too long.

I'm all in favour of a global season, when are the SH sides going to switch ?