Rugby: Rules turn up heat on fitness

New Rules for next year's Super 14 will inflict a whole lot of pain on players this summer.

When the rules were trialled this year by clubs, the ball, on average, was in play for five minutes longer a game, increasing massively the aerobic burden on the players.

Super 14 coaches predict that with the superior skill levels of the professional players, the ball could be in play even longer when the competition kicks off in mid-February.

And to prepare for that, pre-season training programmes have been hastily revamped with a greater emphasis on aerobic conditioning than in previous year.

Blues assistant coach Greg Cooper said: "I don't think the new rules will mean we have to change much in the way we play but it will impact on our aerobic conditioning.

"Traditionally the Blues are known as a power team, explosive. We have to maintain that explosive edge but have to make sure that explosive edge can last 80 minutes."

That means the Blues, like every other New Zealand franchise, face a punishing summer where they will be worked harder than they ever have before.

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A number of extra gruelling running sessions are now pencilled into the next few weeks, which will bring no joy for the bigger units in the front row.

It will, however, suit Blues loose forward Jerome Kaino, who believes his patchy form of recent seasons is partly attributable to a lack of fitness.

The versatile backrower says that he's one of those unfortunate types who loses conditioning far more easily than he gains it.

A gifted footballer with all the skills to succeed at the highest level, the twice-capped Kaino has never quite delivered on the early promise he showed when he toured Europe with the All Blacks in 2004 and starred in the final game against the Barbarians.

"It will be really important to use this pre-season to lay down a good fitness base," said Kaino.

"I am really looking forward to it. The coaches have got us into a good training regime here and the harder, the better."

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