Hurricanes coach Jason Holland has defended his decision to rest All Blacks stars Jordie Barrett, Ardie Savea and Tyrel Lomax for their heavyweight encounter with the Chiefs on Saturday.
As Super Rugby Pacific begins its run towards the playoffs, teams are jockeying for post-season positions, with the Chiefs clear atop the competition ladder and the Hurricanes tied with the champion Crusaders for third, just three points ahead of the fifth-placed Blues.
Defeat this weekend could see the Wellington outfit slip out of a coveted home quarter-final position, but Holland is adamant his decision doesn't devalue the occasion and will pay off for his players down the track.
"I think that's a kick in the teeth for some of our boys," he said. "We reckon we've got good depth and I hope the crowds see that Peter Umaga-Jensen, [Brayden Iose] and Owie Franks are still pretty good people to watch.
"It's up to us to build depth in our group and all year, we've had guys chomping at the bit who Midfielder Barrett, captain/No.8 Savea and prop Lomax all fronted for last week's 71-32 romp over winless Moana Pasifika, a fixture that probably loomed as a more logical mandated rest for the international performers.
By contrast, the Chiefs sat All Blacks Sam Cane, Brodie Retallick, Samisoni Taukei'aho and Brad Weber in their defeat to Queensland Reds, but will be back to full strength for the local derby.
The Highlanders rested Aaron Smith and Ethan de Groot against second-placed ACT Brumbies, probably choosing to target Melbourne Rebels this week.
Juggling international players has proved a challenge for NZ Super Rugby sides over recent seasons, but with three games remaining in the regular season, Holland insists the timing of this latest rest game works well with the playoff run.
"We know we have to win the other two to get what we want in terms of a home quarter, but it's more around a run of games to win a championship," he said. "If you're trying to get guys to win a run of six games in a row, with six derbies, I reckon there's a bit of natural dropoff in energy, and ability to be powerful and fast.
"By cutting off one of those games in the run-in, with a best-case scenario of five games, you're at your best in games three-four-five and that's what we're thinking."
In 12 months, Holland will be on the other side of the mandated-rest policy, when he takes up a role as All Blacks assistant coach under Scott Robertson.
"One-hundred percent, I see it," he said. "We're obviously planning to have guys high energy in games four-five-six and nothing would be different, whether the All Blacks are trying to win the World Cup or when they do what they do.
"We've got lots of warning, we know how to plan and it's two games in the year, so I've got no issues with the mindset around it."
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