Rugby: Blues' All Blacks set to ease into training

Alby Mathewson is back training with the Blues. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Daniel Braid and Alby Mathewson have resumed training with their Blues teammates while their senior All Black colleagues will slip back into some action next week.

They will dovetail promotional, conditioning and theoretical work as the Blues turn their attention to their initial practice match in a fortnight and their February 19 Eden Park start to the revamped Super Rugby series.

The Blues spent several weeks training together before Christmas and after a fortnight's leave have been back in the gym, pools, lecture theatres and training fields, sorting out their patterns and plans for the opening season of the extended competition.

All Blacks Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock, John Afoa, Anthony Boric, Jerome Kaino, Isaia Toeava and Joe Rokocoko have been on leave. Others have been absent too.

Lock Ali Williams is making his return to rugby in English club rugby with Northampton, where he has made two appearances in his comeback from his second serious Achilles tendon injury. Williams played 20 minutes in his first match then half a game last week and after more games is to link up with the Blues for their opening trial game on January 29 in Balclutha against the Highlanders.

Footage and statistics of his involvement are being relayed to the All Black staff, who pass on that information to the Blues and are extremely keen to monitor his progress after such a long absence.

Former Blues forward Bradley Mika, still finishing his contract in Japan, is expected to link up with the Blues late next week and will not be available until midway through the competition after surgery to repair ruptured knee ligaments.

Locking newcomer Liaki Moli has completed the rehab on his dislocated shoulder and is expected to be involved in full contact training next week. Several others have been on restricted duties after ankle sprains or hamstring twinges but none has warranted any major concern.

"We've put together a combination of conditioning work and introducing all our systems. That got finished during the week and from now on we will be training those ideas," said assistant coach Bryce Woodward.

"We've had a heavy emphasis on conditioning. We back off that slightly next week and then we start training the systems we want to use in preparation for those trial games."

After that match, the Blues have other practice games against the Hurricanes in Kerikeri and the Chiefs at Pukekohe before they begin the competition against the Crusaders.

The next day the Blues fly to South Africa for games in Durban and Johannesburg and a match against the Force in Perth on the way home.

Those games are likely to be played in heat so the Blues have not been protecting their squad from the oppressive humidity which has hit Auckland in the past few months.

"We've got to get used to it and will make sure they are well attuned to those conditions before they leave," Woodward said.

The Blues hope to have their full All Black complement for the start of the series but acknowledge they will have to be careful with senior players such as Mealamu, Woodcock and Kaino before they start All Black play.

"Guys like that will have a massive season and we will have to be pretty smart about how we use them," said Woodward, "but I'm sure they will all go on our first overseas trip."