Rugby: Confidence gets a Cane-ing

Hosea Gear is one of several Hurricanes All Blacks out of form. Photo / Getty Images

Class is permanent but the national selectors will be less edgy if their regular All Blacks within the Hurricanes can produce some form.

The All Blacks coaches have been here before with the Hurricanes in World Cup year - and are wary of how much confidence can be sapped from individuals embroiled in a disastrous Super Rugby campaign.

They are conscious, too, of the importance of form despite having a selection template that has a heavy emphasis on reputation.

They have gained detailed knowledge on the strengths and weaknesses of the leading contenders and are in the luxurious position of, in some cases, being able to use current form as the deciding factor.

Confidence is everything in a World Cup year, as the Boks showed in 2007 when they swept to victory on the back of outstanding Super Rugby seasons for both the Bulls and Sharks.

What is preying on minds is that the Hurricanes bombed in 2007 and the effect that had on several players. Denied access to their reconditioning All Blacks, they lost to the Western Force, Lions, Reds, Stormers and Sharks in the first seven rounds.

Ma'a Nonu, considered a virtual World Cup certainty after playing so well at the end of 2006, lost his confidence entirely. His form collapsed and he missed selection.

Conrad Smith also struggled that year. He couldn't get a troublesome hamstring to come right and the combination of his injury and the Hurricanes' poor results saw him reach the World Cup lacking conviction in his game. Piri Weepu didn't play well all year in 2007 and was famously dropped for the World Cup. Chris Masoe was lucky to avoid a similar fate - surviving because there was no other genuine back-up at openside.

History is repeating - the Hurricanes are again in the midst of a disastrous campaign and Andrew Hore, Nonu, Hosea Gear and Cory Jane have all looked strangely off the pace.

The experience and previous contribution of Hore and Nonu won't be dismissed. Nonu, in particular, has shown he is not the same fragile player he was four years ago. He is a world-class operator but even players of that calibre put selectors under tremendous pressure when they endure a consistent form slump.

Hore has played like a man lacking conditioning and feeling the burden of trying to lead a team that is burning with frustration. Like Nonu, he has ample goodwill in the bank, but that can only go so far.

That weight of previous contribution is a major safety buffer for Nonu and Hore and, with time to nudge themselves into better form, they don't need to panic. They are not guaranteed safe passage - but they have probably done enough to be trusted to deliver in the test arena even if they haven't necessarily impressed at Super Rugby level.

Under more pressure are the likes of Jane and Gear, while fringe contenders Aaron Cruden, Victor Vito, Neemia Tialata and Jason Eaton really needed to be part of a stunning team effort. Jane doesn't have the same depth of experience as Hore and Nonu and can't rely on the selectors sticking their necks out for him. He needs to make a compelling case - proving he is in better form than the likes of Israel Dagg, Isaia Toeava and Ben Smith.

So far that hasn't happened and the clock is ticking. He'll have seven games to make his bid once the Hurricanes return from South Africa.

The same is true for Gear. Injury took him out for five weeks and now he needs to show that running power of his; that ability to storm through broken defences, stay on his feet in the tackle and score tries.