All Blacks warning: Shape up or miss selection - Hansen

Steve Hansen. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Steve Hansen says he is comfortable with how New Zealand's top players are performing but has added a warning - play like this in the middle of the year and you might not be selected for the All Blacks.

Sir Graham Henry's successor knows all about the importance of timing in professional sport. He owes his position in the top job to the fact that Richie McCaw's men outlasted France, just, in the World Cup final and said this season, like last year's global rugby showpiece, was all about building towards peak performance.

The rustiness of some senior players will be concerning their Super 15 coaches, especially Pat Lam as he ponders his Blues team at the bottom of the New Zealand Conference - by some distance - but it's not a problem for Hansen.

"A lot's been made of it because we've come off the World Cup and everybody is looking for something to talk about," Hansen said. "But the reality is it's probably no worse than it's been in any other year. The All Blacks don't peak in February/March/April, they start peaking in May/June/July and it's a long year for these guys. They don't finish until December 1. It's about them and their Super 15 or All Blacks coaches making sure that we have them in the right condition to be able to do the job when it matters most.

"For Super 15 coaches, yes these round-robin games are important because it puts them into the finals. It's no different to the World Cup. We couldn't peak in our round-robin games, we had to peak in the finals series. I'm not too worried at this point.

"If we get closer to May or June and they're not playing well, then yes I'll be concerned and so should they be because they're starting to run the risk of not being selected."

The All Blacks' schedule this year has them playing three June tests against Ireland in the middle of the Super Rugby competition, then the Rugby Championship (the former Tri Nations, plus newcomers Argentina), an extra Bledisloe Cup match and an end-of-year European tour where they will play Scotland, Italy, Wales and England.

The Rugby Championship will present new travel issues, with the All Blacks playing the Pumas in Argentina at the end of September and a week later playing the Springboks in Johannesburg, a schedule which is already raising eyebrows among senior New Zealand players.

Hansen conceded the new coaching and selection team of himself, Ian Foster, Aussie McLean, Mike Cron and Grant Fox faced "one or two challenges" in lifting their charges for the international programme but said he was confident the players could quickly re-set their individual and collective goals.

Among the slowest starters this season are Blues players Piri Weepu, Ma'a Nonu and Ali Williams, with Crusaders Kieran Read and Israel Dagg also out of sorts, although No8 Read has been reliable as usual on defence.

All Blacks first-five Dan Carter and prop Tony Woodcock have returned from injury and a break, respectively, with Jerome Kaino, Isaia Toeava and Colin Slade high-profile casualties for the Blues and Highlanders.

McCaw is aiming to return to the field in three weeks when the Crusaders return from their two-match trip of South Africa.

With the possible exception of Crusaders halfback Andy Ellis, the standouts have been confined to the Highlanders, Hurricanes and Chiefs. Hooker Andrew Hore and flanker Adam Thomson are performing well for the southerners, although he missed the defeat to the Brumbies with a neck injury. Hurricanes skipper Conrad Smith is playing with enthusiasm and fellow midfielders Richard Kahui and Sonny Bill Williams are shining for the Chiefs.