Former All Blacks fly-half Stephen Donald wants to see the best of the best feature in the New Zealand derbies after Will Jordan’s surprising omission.
In one of the biggest games of the Super Rugby Pacific season, and indeed one of the greatest rivalries, the star full-back was rested for the Crusaders’ game with the Blues last weekend.
The Christchurch-based outfit succumbed 29-13 in Auckland as they severely missed the influence of the All Blacks star.
Huge match
Considering the magnitude of the game, Donald was shocked that Jordan sat out the clash irrespective of the protocols they have in place in New Zealand.
The players’ loads must be managed in line with the mandatory rest agreement but, as things stand, NZ Rugby have yet to fill a number of high performance positions.
“If he was injured, he was injured and that’s fine, everyone can live with that, but it’s a funny game to rest him in,” Donald said on The Aftermatch with Kirst and Beav.
“Who’s [Crusaders head coach] Rob Penney answerable to? No one right now, there’s no high performance guy saying: ‘You’ve got to rest him three out of four weeks’, or what have you.”
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Of course, NZ Rugby recently appointed Dave Rennie, but it came on the same day as the Crusaders’ team was announced for the Blues clash, so he certainly had more pressing matters than forcing rest periods to be adhered to.
Jordan has returned to the 15 jersey for the next encounter against South Island rivals the Highlanders on Saturday, but Donald would like to see All Blacks stars available for every New Zealand derby.
Donald’s suggestion to NZ Rugby
“The other thing on that – this is completely going left-field – can we just rest them in non-derbies?” he said.
“We as New Zealanders love our derbies. Don’t have All Blacks resting in derbies – they just want to see the best, and he’s one.
“You just want to see him at Eden Park, it’s a big stage. It’s a bit of a shame if it was a forced All Blacks rest week, but that seems very tough to believe considering we don’t have anyone in any position of importance right now.
“I don’t think the first order of business from Rennie after being announced as coach on Wednesday was to tell them who’s playing that weekend.”