48 hours: Rollercoaster rugby no help to Henry

Graham Henry might wonder sometimes if he'd get more reliable information about building a test side in the supermarket than by watching the Super 12.

Lurking in the latest round of the competition were all the reasons the All Blacks might tear the Lions apart, and why they might get chewed up themselves, alongside the feeling that it might have been no indication at all.

What happened at Jade Stadium on Friday night, for instance, has as much chance of turning up at a test match as a low-income family of four.

The Crusaders had the game won at halftime, and then some. That the Sharks got a bonus point was a case for not having bonus points at all.

Elsewhere, fantasy gave way to the fantastic - most notably from the Hurricanes' outside backs and the rampaging, thickly-set Waratahs.

From the highs of the Hurricanes' backs to the lows of the Highlanders' pack, the latest round might have made Henry feel as though he'd won the lottery and misplaced his ticket.

As the Lions' arrival date draws close, the importance of the Super 12 as a competition fades against the individual efforts of the test contenders, even though the selectors clearly, and wisely, take much of what happens in this Southern Hemisphere circus with a grain of salt.

The startling brilliance of the Hurricanes' outsides against the Brumbies, who have lost the self-belief which has always made them so good, was a treasure.

Tana Umaga, Ma'a Nonu, Conrad Smith: they all made massive statements, although in the case of Umaga - who should rank among our greatest-ever players - he hardly needs to make one.

His act in busting between two defenders, taking them out of action, and then scooping a pass clear for a late try, is reason enough to watch this game, and to encourage kids to play it.

That Umaga mixes this stuff with all the hard loose-forward-type work that midfield backs are required to do, with a humble but not fawning demeanour, only adds to the legend. He is Umaga the Great.

The post-match coverage of the Hurricanes' dismantling of the Brumbies - a star vehicle that is chugging to a halt - centred on Nonu.

He possesses such a thrilling mix of agility and power that beating the first defender is often a formality. He is thriving on the wing, away from the responsibilities of being a midfield back. Nonu should be in the All Black 22 but probably off the bench, where he could operate as the classic gamebreaker.

Like the competition itself, though, Nonu is a mixed bag. Last week he produced a late tackle so stupefying and costly against the Highlanders that you felt tempted to scrub him as fit for the torrid Lions battle.

If only the Highlanders could pose such a threat in the backs, though.

Anthony Tuitavake, Glen Horton, Ben Blair and the slightly larger Matt Saunders are slim and ripe for picking. For Blair to look Lote Tuqiri in the eye, he almost needed to hop on one of his mate's shoulders.

Throw lightweight halves Danny Lee and Nick Evans into the mix, and Seilala Mapusua becomes Lumpy alongside the Six Dwarfs. The Highlanders might make a decent case in this Super 12, but they will never close the argument with that delicate back division.

The Waratahs were superb, forcing the Highlanders pack to cover for physically weak outside backs. This probably left holes around the fringes and Rocky Elsom in particular made the most of this. The Waratahs could drive in behind their tackled players with ease because they had not met much initial resistance.

It would have been concerning for Henry that Anton Oliver, Carl Hayman and company were unable to pressure the Waratahs in the tight. The conclusion had to be that Oliver and Hayman - who have been so imposing this year - did not have the necessary backup.

And this may even have been a test-selection Waterloo for loosies Josh Blackie and Craig Newby.

The Paris triumph will give the All Blacks so much heart and optimism about their forward power, but New Zealand's prowess in this department still feels too reliant on Oliver, Hayman and Chris Jack. The Lions will continue to sense they have the winning of the series here, especially if injury should befall any of those three.

Elsewhere, there is better news, and especially on the wings, where All Black contenders are re-emerging after a period of being left marooned by Pacific Island-eligible recruits. New Zealand has reclaimed lost ground here, and it is all good news for the test side.

Joe Rokocoko, Rico Gear, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Nonu, plus others like Hosea Gear are on the rise.

The Lions may smell blood elsewhere, but they will struggle to match that sort of class out wide.