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Sam Whitelock's sabbatical ensures the fire keeps burning

By Online Editors
Sam Whitelock. (Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)

By Patrtick McKendry, NZ Herald

If Sam Whitelock had not been granted a sabbatical clause in his New Zealand Rugby contract, the last we would have seen of him in this country would have been him holding the Super Rugby trophy aloft on a cold and dewy Christchurch mid-winter night.

The other image which would have lingered was his typically athletic and accurate piece of attacking play which led directly to Codie Taylor’s try in the 19-3 grand final victory over the Jaguares.

If New Zealand Rugby hadn’t agreed the rest clause in his new four-year deal earlier in the year, Whitelock was off. His body was near exhaustion but mentally he was probably even more tired.

Nearly everyone will agree that would have been a huge shame because the lock has set a new standard of discipline and leadership even at the Crusaders, who celebrated their 10th title and third in a row last Saturday.

Six years ago, Whitelock was momentarily dropped from the All Blacks for being “one-paced”, a rebuke which must have stung and which he quickly set about fixing, and here, in setting up the only try of the final, was more proof.

That he could maintain that pace and fire despite year after year of collisions at the top level says much about his work ethic and character, but something had to give. Next year he will play for Japanese club Panasonic, rather than the Crusaders, but will return to the All Blacks in 2020 and most probably as Kieran Read’s successor as captain. Whitelock will next wear the red and black in 2021.

“We’ll miss him. I’ll miss him. I love my Whitelocks,” was Crusaders coach Scott Robertson’s succinct reply when asked about the impending departure of his inspirational leader.

“New Zealand Rugby are doing a great thing in giving him an opportunity to freshen up. He’s been on the grind for a long time, from Crusaders to All Blacks – he’s played 108 tests and 130-odd Crusaders games.

“It’s a chance for him to refresh and come back, and that’s the important thing – he’s coming back. I think what he can be most proud of is his leadership and ability to prepare and get someone else to take over… he’s shares his responsibility well.”

Whitelock has always been a special talent. In 2009, a year before he made the All Blacks, none other than locking legend Brad Thorn told Whitelock he would wear the black jersey, but few could have imagined the impression on the game at the top level.

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Sam Whitelock and Brad Thorn. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

A big part of his success was in Robertson’s decision to hand Whitelock the Crusaders captaincy in 2016 because, rather than hinder, it helped take him to a new level. It also revealed that Whitelock possesses an excellent rugby brain; the innate knowledge of when to attack via a lineout drive or go for goal, and his instincts are usually right.

Against the Jaguares, Richie Mo’unga kicked four penalties from four attempts – the first-five didn’t miss a kick at goal during the playoffs (17 from 17) – and the trickle of points served to turn up the pressure on the opposition. Against the Jaguares it knocked the stuffing out of them.

Read, who has played his final game for the Crusaders and will finish with the All Blacks after the World Cup, believes the success will continue despite many departures; Owen Franks, Matt Todd, Jordan Taufua and Ryan Crotty are also leaving.

“It’s well set up,” Read said. “It’s the work ethic we present, it’s [enjoying] our mates when we turn up and that’s what the Crusaders will always be about. The guys coming back are in a good position. They’ll take this thing forward, they won’t sit on their laurels. I can see it getting better.”

Mo’unga said: “We have a duty to carry on and that’s what is special about this group. For the boys coming back… the dynasty doesn’t finish here, the challenge for us is to keep it going.”

For assistant coach Ronan O’Gara, who is leaving for France, the retention of head coach Scott Robertson is the key.

“My old mindset would have been about all the players we are going to miss next season, but his approach is ‘next man up’,” O’Gara wrote in the Irish Examiner.

“It isn’t so much a glass half-full attitude as a glass full all the time. Nobody in the Crusaders looks for an excuse.”

This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and is republished with permission

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J
Jon 4 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 7 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

30 Go to comments
A
Adrian 9 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

30 Go to comments
T
Trevor 11 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
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