New Zealand Rugby has promised no All Blacks or Super Rugby franchises will be forced to make financial sacrifices during the hunt for a gold medal at the Rio Olympics.
All Blacks Sonny Bill Williams, Liam Messam, Victor Vito, Julian Savea, Ben Smith and Beauden Barrett could all feature in NZ Sevens coach Gordon Tietjens’ plans to win gold in Rio.
It is understood those All Blacks who are picked for Rio could, depending on their background in sevens and conditioning levels, skip six to eight weeks of Super Rugby next year and are also unlikely to play in the three-match series against Wales in June.
Concerns the withdrawal of the All Blacks will hit the strike Super Rugby franchises, and those players who have sacrificed their test places, in the pocket were dismissed by NZ Rugby general manager Neil Sorensen.
“No player or Super Rugby team will be worse off,” Sorensen said. “At the end of the day we are all working together to ensure we are in the best position to win gold, and keep producing winning All Blacks and Super Rugby teams.”
This week All Blacks coach Steve Hansen hinted Tietjens could be interested in selecting first five-eighth Beauden Barrett, who represented the national sevens team in 2010 but has been a regular member of the All Blacks squad since 2012.
But another All Blacks first-five, Aaron Cruden declined an invite from Tietjens to make himself available.
“I have aspirations of playing against the Lions in 2017 and maybe taking a year off wouldn’t do…my chances any good,” Cruden said.
Just who Tietjens has convinced to commit to his programme will be revealed when he names an undisclosed number of players to attend a training camp in June.
He was keen to assess Charles Piutau but his decision to join Irish club Ulster after the World Cup ruined those plans.
“There’s a lot of players that have expressed an interest to be considered for Rio that are Super Rugby players and All Blacks,” Tietjens said this week.
“It’s certainly a long way to go before that happens, but we’re working through a process now to determine those players’ ability.”
The Super Rugby regular season ends on June 13 but some players may be involved in the playoffs, ruling them out of Tietjens’ training camp.
A wider squad must be submitted to the New Zealand Olympic Committee by August 5, a year out from the Games. Up to 26 players will then be confirmed in the squad announced after the Rugby World Cup in October. That squad will be reduced to 12 for the Olympics.
Given that they pay the Super Rugby players’ wages through the central contracting system, and will be keen to promote their organisation at the Olympics, NZ Rugby are in a position to play hardball with any franchises reluctant to release players.
The Chiefs and Hurricanes are likely to be affected and their title chances could be compromised next year. Although the 2016 Super Rugby draw has yet to be released, the timing of the Olympic opening ceremony on August 5 has the potential to clash with the date of the grand final.
Hansen will also have to be prepared to be without the sevens converts during the Rugby Championship.
Australian Rugby Union boss Bill Pulver suggested to The Australian it was unlikely their sevens players would play Super Rugby because it would cause too much disruption to their teams.
Pulver also said no Wallabies players would be expected to have their salaries reduced.
“We would have to find a way,” Pulver said. “We would not be expecting the Super Rugby clubs to pay for a player if he is playing sevens.”
