Wynne Gray: Lacklustre performances sure to worry Hansen

Victor Vito. Photo / Getty Images

A third of the way through the Super 15, All Black coach Steve Hansen should be getting some gip from his new colleagues about his World Cup pack.

While a majority of the backline who started the Eden Park final five months ago have slipped into some strong form, those who featured in the pack that night are not delivering a similar high standard of performance.

Captain Richie McCaw, Brad Thorn and Jerome Kaino are in the sick bay, offshore or both, but there has been a lack of regular impact from the rest.

Fill-in Crusaders skipper Kieran Read may be exempt from that assessment but he has operated without the same accurate sting which has become a byword for his play and that of his franchise. They are spluttering along.

Their much-decorated scrum was embarrassed by the Chiefs' alleged alternate frontrowers and their pack was given a touch up by the Highlanders in general play.

While the Crusaders managed to outlast the Cheetahs in Saturday's opening of their new stadium, they had their issues. They dominated the first scrum but were handicapped midway through the match when that setpiece became uncontested.

Lock Sam Whitelock has been only steady. However, that is a great deal more than World Cup reserve Ali Williams who has not brought much more than his uniform to the Blues' performances this season.

Tighthead prop Owen Franks has been used sparingly by his coach Todd Blackadder while Blues skipper Keven Mealamu has been average and fellow World Cup front rower Tony Woodcock has just returned to play.

So Hansen's notebook should be filled mostly with jottings about some of the newer or retreaded forward faces who have been making the early Super 15 running.

There are exceptions. The transplanted Highlanders hooker Andrew Hore is showing the sort of robust form which has accompanied most of his test career.

Others who have given their chances an early nudge? In the looseforwards some like Victor Vito, Adam Thomson, Jack Lam, Brad Shields and Liam Messam have delivered consistent or compelling impacts. They have brought some serious snap to their play but will also need to be managed throughout the competition's drawn out schedule. Meantime we wait for McCaw's return to rugby in about three weeks.

Jarrad Hoeata has been fingered to fill Thorn's boots, but has yet to be seen in action because of a chest injury so other former All Blacks like Jason Eaton and Tom Donnelly have been able to state their cases.

Chiefs co-captain Craig Clarke has shown Thorn-like attributes this season in welding more athletic ability to his workload while Josh Bekhuis and Nick Crosswell have done likewise.

But it has been young Brodie Retallick, at the Chiefs, and perhaps James Broadhurst, from the Highlanders, who have offered more compelling arguments about their locking value. Broadhurst has been around a bit and like Clarke has added more to his game this season. But it has been Retallick, the 20-year-old bulky skyscraper from the Chiefs, who has created the greatest impression with his workrate and skills.

Tighthead prop Ben Afeaki's broken arm stymied his run at the top but his teammate Ben Tameifuna has quickly said "watch me for the 2015 World Cup" - but he must continue to improve, as the Blues' Charlie Faumuina is doing.

Behind their forwards, Israel Dagg, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Richard Kahui and Aaron Cruden from the starting World Cup backline and Sonny Bill Williams and Andy Ellis from the bench have all brought strong performances for their sides.

While Sir Stephen Donald continues to wow them in Europe, the new Blues pair of Ma'a Nonu and Piri Weepu have oily sparkplugs - especially the latter. Weepu ought to be eyeing the cluster of emerging halfback talent with concern.