When rugby is your profession as well as your passion, you need a good sense of balance to manage the Bounce.
It’s almost the end of the year, and we could all do with a holiday. But for many top South African rugby players, the hard work will continue in December and January, in so-called ‘top up’ deals in the northern hemisphere.
A top-up is a cash bonus to offset the economic effects of playing in South Africa, rather than for the big money European or Japanese clubs.
Stormers lock Eben Etzebeth, for example, was recently linked to a rumoured R665 000 a match to play for an English club for a couple of months.
At what cost, though? If you look at a player like Handre Pollard, a very big one potentially. The young Springbok star had a terrific 2015, making his mark as the first choice Bulls and Bok flyhalf.
He was in such demand that a Japanese club also desired his mercurial skills in the ‘window’ prior to the start of next SuperRugby season.
Pollard, being a young strong lad, probably thought he could do it all, but upon returning to his franchise team in Pretoria he suffered a freak injury, and with that his entire year was over. Short term financial gains, long term loss. In hindsight, how important was that rest window?
Pollard is just one story. Ex-Stormers flyhalf Peter Grant was big in Japan, but playing there and in SuperRugby eventually caught up with him, and his latter days with the Cape based franchise were marred by below par performances and time spent sitting on the sidelines.
Injuries are a reality of the game, but that reality becomes more of a certainty through over-playing. There is of course no exact science to this, and a player could just as easily turn down the extra money at the end of the year, rest up, then suffer a season ending injury in their first game out. Just ask another ex-Stormers player, Schalk Burger.
Point is though, the chances of staying on your feet are far greater when you get off them for a decent period at some stage.
The All Blacks continue to raise the bar in the rugby world, and one reason is that they are so well conditioned. Everyone who shines in that Black jersey understands the importance of rest and recovery.
More accurately, those in charge understand the importance of managing workloads, and balancing game time with downtime.
We South Africans are feeling the effects of an embattled Rand and a slowing economy. The luxury of downtime is often not available to us, but it has to be built into our long-term plans when it comes to our careers.
Thankfully two young Stormers stars, Damian De Allende and Eben Etzebeth, are prioritising a pre-season rest period ahead of the next SuperRugby season. Perhaps the importance of balance is starting to sink in.
From a physical and mental standpoint, taking time out is where we grow and give ourselves the chance to get better at what we do. If we all factor it into our schedules, we can only benefit.
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