Measuring the might of ABs' unholy trinity

Craig Dowd, Sean Fitzpatrick and Olo Brown were destructive giants. Picture / Getty Images

Delving into discussions about the front row may be as dangerous as inhabiting one of the most mysterious regions in rugby.

Talk to veterans who earned their cauliflower ears and they may regale you about cures for that condition or how they wheeled, turned, bored or belted their opponents.

That is if they talk. Front rowers are generally reticent or possess a mischievous sense of humour. Explanations given to pesky members of the fourth estate may be rubbish but no one is going to dispute them.

Former teammates John Drake and Richard Loe do offer their thoughts on television, Mark Allen used to be involved and in 1972, ex-hooker Norm Wilson was the first former All Black to comment on TV.

All Blacks scrum guru Mike Cron makes scrummaging sound simple. Angles, feet position, body height, transferring weight - lots of attention to detail - straightforward or versions of that momentum.

Whatever the teaching, it is working for the All Blacks.

Two years ago France, who pride themselves on scrummaging, were forced to go to uncontested scrums when they lost props Sylvain Marconnet and Pieter de Villiers to injury. Some of that damage had been inflicted by an All Black front row of Carl Hayman, Anton Oliver and Tony Woodcock.

Later on in the same 45-6 victory at Stade de France, substitute hooker Keven Mealamu carried on the destruction.

It was the Hayman, Mealamu, Woodcock trinity which dealt to the Wallabies last weekend prompting whispers they were the best front row in All Black history.

No question they are building a reputation, but the euphoric reaction may have ignored the less than stellar quality of the Wallabies.

The win against the Wallabies was the eighth time Hayman, Mealamu and Woodcock have started a test together since they linked up in 2002 against Wales at Cardiff. Like any combination, their potency is growing with each outing.

Their solidity creates confidence for their All Black teammates, unlike those dark days in 1977 when the All Blacks tried three-man scrums against the Lions or the year before when Perry Harris was rushed as a replacement to South Africa to play his solitary test after three props were injured.

Every team has their problems such as France in 2004. Earlier this season, England was forced to go to golden oldie scrums against Australia when they lost props Julian White and Graham Rowntree.

Combinations are the key and the All Blacks have had some great alliances. George Tyler and Daniel Udy hooked in the 2-3-2 scrum the All Blacks set in their first test in 1903 and by all brief accounts were a decent front row combination. Others leading up to World War II were too, but the details are limited.

However, in 1949 the great South African Hennie Muller declared that the All Black front row of Kevin Skinner, Has Catley and Johnny Simpson was the best he played against. How can we compare their deeds against the current troops?

We can't, but while there is some serious acclaim for the front row, and the improvements made to that department since the panel took over, it is pertinent to recall some yesteryear combos.

The Ian Clarke, Denis Young, Wilson Whineray era in the 1960s was a marvellous base for the All Blacks before Ken Gray and Bruce McLeod formed an even more formidable liaison with Wille Away.

Jack Hazlett, Keith Murdoch, Jas Muller, Kent Lambert, Billy Bush were all props of great calibre but through injury, selection or whatever were not part of consistently strong All Black combinations.

By dint of their skill and compatibility, John Ashworth, Andy Dalton and Gary Knight became a very respected international partnership when they played 24 tests together in the black jersey.

Herald analyst Drake could argue for his inclusion through the 1987 World Cup before he retired and let the Steve McDowell, Sean Fitzpatrick, Richard Loe association thrive from the late 1980s before the arrival of the Craig Dowd, Fitzpatrick, Olo Brown troika.

Pick one of those combinations or even throw in the Carl Hoeft, Anton Oliver, Kees Meeuws trio which did so much damage for Otago, the Highlanders and All Blacks.