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Jones backs his former nemesis

Former Wallaby coach supports Henry's plan

Axed Australia coach Eddie Jones has agreed with New Zealand coach Graham Henry's controversial conditioning plan to withdraw 22 All Blacks from the first half on the Super 14.

Eddie Jones: Gives Graham Henry the thumbs up
Eddie Jones: Gives Graham Henry the thumbs up

With the Rugby World Cup just months away, Henry made the decision to rest key players in his All Blacks squad in a bid to avoid serious injury and player burn-out.

The Super 14 kicks off on February 2 and the coaches of New Zealand's five franchises will be fretting on how they'll cope without their top stars.

Jones, however, thinks otherwise and says the New Zealand Super 14 teams should be able to handle 22 All Blacks being yanked out of the first half of the competition.

"Knocking 22 players out of five teams, yes they'll be missed. But New Zealand is the only country in the world that could possibly contemplate doing that and doing it well," Jones told Sunday News.

Jones, now coach of the Queensland Reds, was responsible for knocking out the All Blacks in the semi-final of the last Rugby World Cup held in Australia in 2003.

"They're the only team in the world with an 80 per cent-plus winning record in test rugby and are able to rotate two teams," said Jones.

"No one else can do that.

"Imagine the other countries trying to do what New Zealand have done with their national team and continue to have such a good winning record."

There are 32 players in the New Zealand Super 14 franchises who have played for the All Blacks under Graham Henry but who aren't in the conditioning 22.

Jones also highlighted the depth in New Zealand rugby thanks to Henry's policy of rotating players in his squad.

The Reds coach acknowledged that this is the main reason that the All Blacks have stayed ahead of the rest of the rugby world.




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