Richard Loe: We still need a world-class scrum

The ALl Black starting front row last night featured Ne'emia Tialata, Kevin Mealamu and Tony Woodcok. Photo/ Getty Images

Opinion

Last night's test match was what I would call consolidation and we now move into the business end of the season.

With the northern hemisphere sides on view - Ireland, Wales and England - the divide in playing styles has been clear. They are stronger at the set piece, particularly the scrum, while the southern hemisphere teams are better in back play and general play.

That means the All Blacks need to pick up on their set pieces, especially the scrums, if they are to play the style that they appear to be adopting with the World Cup in mind. I saw some time back that Graham Henry said he wanted to get the All Black scrum back to a world-class level and I am all for it.

We've seen in the last few weeks, especially with Australia-England and the Maori-England games how a good scrum can negate an opponent's efforts. The Maori, for example, were a better ball-playing and running side than a second-string England outfit - but they still nearly lost the game because their scrum went like an Italian tank in World War II (in reverse).

Australia countered the English scrum in the first test because of their better back and general play but, when England lifted that side of their game in the second test, the Wallabies had few answers. It's clear that the northern sides will prosper more if they can lift the running and passing side of their game as England did in that instance.

The All Black scrummaging so far I would class as adequate. It hasn't been bad but it hasn't been particularly good yet. They must do better to set a platform for the style they want to play.

My worry is that, if we have a full-time scrum coach on board for the New Zealand sides, why did the Maori scrum also go backwards faster than a car left with its handbrake off on Dunedin's Baldwin St? Jacob Ellison and Bronson Murray are no great shakes as props - barely provincial level, in my opinion - and they were scattered to the winds by the English, but that can't be the full answer.

The news is better at All Black level and I believe they just need more time together to get the scrum back to a level where it is a worry for opponents.

The Franks boys have done okay at the scrummage but have excelled around the field. Compare the number of tackles and hit-ups they make compared with the northern props who are good in the scrums but who, like Wales' Adam Jones, don't do much else.

If you watched Jones, you saw this big fluffy thing waddling around and leaning on the rucks. Compare that to the work rate of Ben and Owen Franks and that of Tony Woodcock, who also livened up the scrum both times against Wales. Neemia Tialata is no worse a scrummager than the Franks but he is nowhere near their equal around the field - which is why he is down the pecking order now.

All in all, the All Black scrummaging will come, I think. They need time together and Keven Mealamu has had to cope with props being shifted around as well as Brad Thorn's partner at lock.

We need the scrum right to ensure it isn't used to derail the All Blacks' game plan.

I will be surprised if, by the end of the season and all those test matches, it isn't on song. After the end of year tour, I would expect the World Cup squad to be 90-95 per cent chosen in the selectors' minds and then it is a matter of fine-tuning.