Marc Hinton, writing for the Dominion Post, looks at where the Crusaders go from here after their Super Rugby defeat.
"It's rest, not tests that overloaded Crusaders players need in the next few weeks, although All Blacks coach Graham Henry has made it clear that he does not see Richie McCaw in that category.
Henry understands as well as anyone the need to manage the workloads of Crusaders players who have been through not only a gruelling Super Rugby and extended playoff run, but also the unprecedented demand of having to travel for every match.
Throw in the emotional turmoil of the earthquake and its reverberations and Henry has himself a pretty unique situation with a group of players comprising over a third of his expanded 34-man squad.
So the kid gloves will come out for Crusaders players who can expect to be on light duties as the pre-World Cup season gets up and running with a training camp in Auckland later this week. A test against Fiji will follow in Dunedin on July 22, followed quickly by the Tri-Nations kickoff against the Springboks in Wellington eight days later."
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