Jerome Kaino. Photo / Getty Images
Despite the extremely high level Jerome Kaino reached on his return to the All Blacks against England, he feels he let himself down in the third test in Hamilton.
As the Blues contemplate what will probably be their final three matches of the season starting tonight in Perth against the Force, they could do with following Kaino's ruthless dedication to high standards.
"I think I'm getting there but I'm not there at the moment," said Kaino in reflecting on his efforts in the three tests, his first since the World Cup final three years ago.
"I think in the last test I dropped my standards a bit in being effective in the game. It was a tough three weeks. They are a quality England side who put us under the pump in each test."
Kaino's work at No 8 in the tests in Auckland and Dunedin led him to replace Liam Messam at blindside flanker once Kieran Read returned from his concussion at Waikato Stadium.
However, Kaino, who spent two years in Japan before returning to the Blues this season, wasn't using that position switch as an excuse.
"[It was] an accumulation of things," he said. "Two hard tests before ... I need to look at my week in Hamilton and what I did differently to the previous weeks and how it impacted on my performance. I'm not making any excuses. You just have to get up and perform."
Kaino, who will play at No 8 tonight at nib Stadium alongside fellow loose forwards Steven Luatua and Luke Braid, will play an important role on both attack and defence for John Kirwan's men. Both aspects of his game have impressed. His renowned defensive steel has survived his time abroad, but what has stood out is his determination in charging into - and away from - contact with the ball.
Asked what he wanted to see from the Blues for the remainder of the season and Kaino, who went into the June international break after a superb performance in the victory over the Hurricanes at Eden Park, was quick to reply.
"I just don't want us to hold back. I don't want us to finish these three weeks and think what if we did this? The rest of the season, that's gone, we can't dwell too much on it. I think the next three weeks can define our season.
"You can bring a little bit of that confidence and excitement from the All Blacks environment to the Blues and hopefully we can get some results.
"I'm still on cloud nine being in the environment again and obviously getting the game time that I've been getting - it's been awesome. I never thought it would happen that fast and for me to be involved as much as I have been.
"I'm looking forward to the time with the Blues - a change of environment and a change of rugby and seeing what I can do."
As for rugby at the highest level, not much has changed, he said.
"It's still pretty hard. It's hard to compare from before I went away. That World Cup in New Zealand was quite intense. In terms of contact and speed and it's all quite similar, it's just the style that teams are playing that's different."