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Wellington - There are no guarantees that All Blacks captain Richie McCaw will be seen in Crusaders colours this season, according to head coach Todd Blackadder.
According to the allblacks website, teports that McCaw would reappear for the Crusaders in July if they were one of the six teams in the Super Rugby playoffs were a little off the mark although they may well turn out to be true.
Blackadder said that he had met with McCaw and he was back training, but a return to the Crusaders had not been part of their conversations.
"All the chats I've had with him have been really jovial, just friendly chit-chats. We haven't really talked about his return. When he's ready he will tell us," Blackadder said on Thursday.
Blackadder said that McCaw had put on a bit of condition during his six-month sabbatical.
"He's huffing and puffing in doing his work in the gym. I think he's had a true sabbatical and taken time away from the game and now he's spending the next month getting fit and going through the hard work stage.
"There's no way he's ready to play rugby at the moment or even in the next three to four weeks.
"We'll just wait and see like everyone else and when he's ready he will tell us and then we will make sure we have a plan to reintroduce him if he wants but there's no expectations from us."
Blackadder said McCaw would be playing rugby in July, but it might be at club level rather than on the Super stage.
"It's his choice."
According to the allblacks website, teports that McCaw would reappear for the Crusaders in July if they were one of the six teams in the Super Rugby playoffs were a little off the mark although they may well turn out to be true.
Blackadder said that he had met with McCaw and he was back training, but a return to the Crusaders had not been part of their conversations.
"All the chats I've had with him have been really jovial, just friendly chit-chats. We haven't really talked about his return. When he's ready he will tell us," Blackadder said on Thursday.
Blackadder said that McCaw had put on a bit of condition during his six-month sabbatical.
"He's huffing and puffing in doing his work in the gym. I think he's had a true sabbatical and taken time away from the game and now he's spending the next month getting fit and going through the hard work stage.
"There's no way he's ready to play rugby at the moment or even in the next three to four weeks.
"We'll just wait and see like everyone else and when he's ready he will tell us and then we will make sure we have a plan to reintroduce him if he wants but there's no expectations from us."
Blackadder said McCaw would be playing rugby in July, but it might be at club level rather than on the Super stage.
"It's his choice."
