Rugby: Blackadder approves of the Mundine connection

Todd Blackadder (not pictured) is fine with Sonny Bill (R) training with Mundine. Photo / Getty Images

"I'm sitting in my office looking out at Rugby Park and I've got 30 players out there doing boxing ... it's great physical preparation and conditioning."

That, from the mouth of Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder, sums up his feelings on the Sonny Bill Williams boxing debate.

Williams is due in Christchurch on Wednesday to meet Crusaders coaching and training staff as he maps out a preparation schedule for his first Super Rugby campaign.

"The good thing is he's doing that [meeting] off his own bat. He wants to make sure we're all aligned and squared away," Blackadder said.

Williams' profile has reached a point where he has only to raise his eyebrows to raise eyebrows and yesterday was no different. The seemingly innocuous revelation that friend and boxing trainer Anthony Mundine would also be working with him on ball skills in preparation for the Super Rugby season created headlines.

"It's no different from a guy playing a bit of backyard footy," Blackadder said. "It's absolutely normal - apart from their profile."

Blackadder admitted he had no say, or choice, as to Williams' freelance career in boxing - the All Black midfielder fights Scott Lewis on the Gold Coast on January 29 - but even if he did he would not have objected.

"He seems to love it and you can't wrap guys in cotton wool," he said "I would sooner that than people who did absolutely nothing in their time off. At least this way he has a focus, he's training towards a goal. It will be great fitness and preparation for when he comes back to us."

Williams has been given extra time off before joining the Crusaders, with the rest of the All Blacks who face a long, high-pressure year.

The Super Rugby season shapes as the toughest yet, with Blackadder expecting the intensity to be higher due to the new format with home and away "derby" matches. That is why their pre-season intensity has lifted up a notch or two on previous years.

"Traditionally teams from within New Zealand have always lifted to play each other. It could be a war of attrition," Blackadder said.

Attrition is not a word Graham Henry will want to read too often in the next six months as he looks ahead to the defence of the Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup crowns (kind of important), and another tournament they have failed to win in 24 years (all-important).

Blackadder says the element of luck means there is no such thing as injury prevention, but there is one way to minimise the risk.

"Make sure you are fit and strong. We've got everyone minus the All Blacks and they're putting the hard yards in, building a base. There's no guarantees with injury prevention, but there's sensible rehab and prehab."