Jerome Kaino is not an All Black spare part yet - John Kirwan

For Jerome Kaino think Keven Mealamu.

That's the message from All Black great John Kirwan, who says Steve Hansen has made a good strategic decision in easing the legendary blindside out of the test starting lineup.

Kirwan said Kaino, who will be 36 by the time of the next World Cup, still had a potential role however.

"It will be up to Jerome and he's still got some energy in those legs," Kirwan, a well-travelled coach who is now a rugby analyst, told the Radio Sport Breakfast.

"I don't think he is in his prime - we all love Jerome and if he wants to hang around for a few years he might have to take a second fiddle role similar to what Keven Mealamu did.

"You can bring him off the bench, play him against more physical sides, rest those legs.

"It's not a bad thing even if he might not be that starting guy anymore.

John Kirwan on the Radio Sport Breakfast

"We are two years out from the World Cup, and Steve Hansen is one of our best ever strategists.

"Who is going to be our sixes moving forward? I think this is wise.

"Jerome will be playing cameos, and might start against the Africans, but he's not the permanent selection anymore, and I think Jerome will embrace that."

Kirwan coached Kaino at the Blues and pointed out the he had "done his shoulder twice".

"He's a bruising type of player, he's a guy that smacks people. Being 36 as a rugby player is like having 150,000km on your old car. It's starting to shake a wee bit."

Meanwhile Kirwan reckoned a heavy Wallabies defeat in Sydney on Saturday night was vital to reviving the embattled Australian game.

"In a way I want them to get pumped," he said.

"I think Australian rugby needs to hit rock bottom, they need a complete change of board and at management level.

"They need to recreate Australian rugby with a five to 10 year plan, to get them back to where they should be. If they win or play well this weekend, it might paint over a few cracks.

"They are good enough individually to have a good crack, but if the All Blacks play well they are in trouble."