Former Wellington All Blacks Stu Wilson and Murray Pierce have put the boot into the Hurricanes, labelling their Super 12 performances as akin to watching schoolboys.
The Hurricanes started the season as one of the TAB's favourites to win the competition, but they suffered their third loss in four matches whenlosing 21-39 to the Sharks in Durban on Sunday.
"They have to ask themselves why are they playing," Wilson said. "If it's to win the title, then why are they throwing away so many games? There's absolutely no rhythm and it doesn't look as though they know what they're doing.
"They're obviously training for a team pattern but there hasn't been one on the field yet.
"Consistency wins Super 12. They don't have it. It's OK to be Flash Harry one minute, but not to be schoolboys the next. Playing like Flash Harry might win fans for a while, but it won't win a title."
Pierce, who locked the All Black scrum in 26 tests through the second half of the 1980s, said the Hurricanes seemed to be using sevens tactics.
Pierce said there were signs that the forwards, except at scrums, were showing improvement.
But patience was lacking and this was highlighting the absence of injured flanker Kupu Vanisi at the breakdown.
"They're trying to play sevens-type rugby and that doesn't work in the 15-man game," Pierce said. "It can be breathtaking at times but invariably it will end badly with a silly or forced pass."
Wilson and Pierce agreed that the vaunted Hurricanes' backline were in need of an overhaul. Pierce said the time had come for Tana Umaga to be shifted back from centre to the wing and for Paul Steinmetz to replace second five-eighths Jason O'Halloran.
The TAB responded to the loss in Durban by dumping them to second-last on favouritism for the title, at $35, ahead of only the Bulls.
