After Round 15 there will be a three week break in Super Rugby 2012 for the June Internationals between the SANZAR nations, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa against Northern Hemisphere opponents. The strange thing is that Super Rugby has gathered momentum and looks set for an amazing finish, but it seems that this three week break curtail the drama of Super Rugby 2012. There will be no games of the Super Rugby competition between the first and last weekends in June. This break is even longer for the Cheetahs, Force and Reds who have the Round 15 bye and the Blues, Sharks and Waratahs who have the Round 16 bye.
It will be interesting to see how different teams are managed over this period. While a decent amount of players will be involved in playing test match rugby, there must be some temptation to rest players over this period, but players must also stay ready to return to action in Round 16.
It must be strange going from Super Rugby, to international coaches and then back to Super Rugby coaches within such a short timeframe. It will be difficult to then return motivated and ready to play in the business end of Super Rugby.
In New Zealand the All Blacks will play a three test series against Ireland which could put Super Rugby players at risk of injury and increased strain on their bodies for when they return to the business end of the Super Rugby season. There will be a squad of 30 players to spread the load.
For the rest of the players there is a North vs South match on June 9th at Dunedin's Forsyth Barr Stadium. This match is to help raise money for the cash-strapped Otago Rugby Football Union and it will be interested to see which players are released by the All Blacks or Super Rugby coaches to play in this match with the advanced risk of injury.
In another strange scenario, the Hurricanes will play against the Reds in a friendly match. This is crazy given that both of these teams are rivals for a Top Six spot in the playoffs, but it shows the importance of staying match ready.
The Chiefs have an even more strange match planned against two different opposition. They will play two unions from within their franchise and play Bay of Plenty in one half and Counties in the second half. I guess this gives Bay of Plenty and Counties a workout before their ITM Cup campaigns.
The problem is that the expansion of the Super Rugby competition means that there was no room to fit June's international matches in without this bizarre international three week window so close to the end of the Super Rugby season. Surely there is an easier and more logical way of maintaining momentum for teams and fans during the Super Rugby 2012. In my view Super Rugby is too long and difficult for players to jump between Super Rugby and internationals and still be fresh for the business end of the Super Rugby season when they return. It is so weird that those players not involved in internationals will play random friendly matches in the middle of a competition.