Rugby: McCartney on song at prop

Blues prop Tom McCartney, usually a hooker, also made some telling hits as well as proving a handful in the loose against the Stormers. Photo / Getty Images

There was only really one positive in the Blues' defeat to the Stormers - the unexpectedly impressive form of Tom McCartney on the loosehead.

Not quite 110kg and a hooker for the past four seasons, McCartney slipped into the No1 jersey on Friday night and looked rather handy. Up against an enormous pack that prides itself on their scrum, McCartney was a handful the Stormers couldn't really contain.

His workrate was enormous, his tackling aggressive and he was never afraid to get his hands on the ball.

McCartney was a beacon of hope - evidence that there is enough depth in this Blues squad to keep propelling them to the play-offs, in spite of their recent slump.

For the first time this season they have fallen to consecutive defeats and, with three games left, their momentum has been stunted.

It's apparent that every team in the competition is having to dig deep into their reserves of mental and physical strength as well as personnel. The quality of the bench and the wider squad that will be crucial.

"When you are getting down to squads having a guy that can play prop and hooker is a big asset and that is what he is bringing to us," said Blues coach Pat Lam. "You look at the start of the game - he got us the first penalty with a big tackle and he went on to make plenty more of them."

Sadly for the Blues, not enough of McCartney's team-mates shared his passion and execution for defensive chores. The three second half tries the Stormers scored were all made possible by the generosity of their hosts.

For the second week in succession individuals fell away, didn't fancy putting their men on the ground and they paid the ultimate price.

The frustration for Lam and captain Keven Mealamu was that the Blues were strong and accurate in much of their other foundation work. The Stormers, despite some tall timber, were wayward at the lineout and under pressure at the scrum.

"I was reasonably happy with the first half," said McCartney of his scrummaging. "I thought we got what we wanted out of the scrums. But in the second half where I gave away a penalty - that was disappointing."

McCartney doesn't appear to be the sort to feel sorry for himself or dwell much on what he did wrong. He'll absorb that during the coming week off and be desperate to be given another chance.

Whether he's selected to play the Chiefs will depend on the fitness of Tony Woodcock and the thoughts of Lam on whether McCartney did enough to displace the rested Tevita Mailau.

Whether he starts against the Chiefs or not, McCartney's long term future is now as a prop that can play hooker rather than being a hooker who can cover prop. With Keven Mealamu committed to the Blues until 2013, there just isn't going to be much opportunity for McCartney at hooker.

The 25-year-old spent his formative years as a prop and only converted to hooker about four years ago. A dedicated trainer with renowned strength in the gym, he plays well above his 109kg. But he faces a tough call as to whether he should add some bulk to his frame if he is likely to be spending more time on the side rather than in the middle of the front row.

"The programme says I am 103kg but I am about 109kg," he says. "Putting on a few kilos wouldn't hurt but I don't want to sacrifice that for mobility. I want to be able to run and to get around the park which is a bigger attribute of my game.

"I haven't had a lot of time at hooker with Keven going so well. So I have to make sure that I keep working on the core skills of hooker."

The Blues intend to take four days off, train for two and then have a few more days rest before they prepare to take on the Chiefs, Crusaders and Highlanders.

Despite all they have achieved to date, they could just as easily end third in the conference and miss out on the play-offs if they can't arrest their losing streak.

Blues 26 (A. Mathewson, L. Munro tries; L. McAlister 2 cons, 4 pens), Stormers 28 (J. de Jongh, J. Sadie, S. Burger tries; L. Cronje pen; D. Duvenage 2 cons, 2 pens). Halftime: 19-3.