Rugby: Twelve ABs, still ordinary

The Hurricanes will likely finish this season mid-table, despite their - on paper - impressive depth. Photo / Getty Images

Melbourne will most likely be their low point but the Hurricanes don't seem likely candidates to undergo a great awakening this season.

They might claim a few scalps along the way, play some engaging football at times but the playoffs look beyond them. The playoffs were probably always beyond them, long before they made such a dire start to their campaign.

This is not a vintage Hurricanes team; there are too many weak spots, too many journeymen in places where they need to have superstars. They will be judged harshly when compared with their predecessors of the last five years; mid-table would be about right for this team.

It's easy to be blinded by the headline figure of 12 All Blacks in their squad; it is comforting, gives the impression of depth, substance and experience.

The Highlanders only have six All Blacks and the temptation is to see the Hurricanes as infinitely superior in terms of personnel; to automatically consider them potential playoff material.

But only five of the Hurricanes are current, regular All Blacks and one of them, Piri Weepu, isn't going to be fit for another few weeks yet. The Hurricanes are not, despite the statistics, awash with quality, and their quota of test players is misleading.

John Schwalger played two tests for the national side, the last of which was three years ago - and that was only because other players were injured. Neemia Tialata is a round peg in a square hole when it comes to Super Rugby.

He isn't mobile, doesn't enjoy the pace of the game and barely gets the chance to scrummage, such is the paucity of set piece work in the bonus-point culture of Super Rugby.

Jason Eaton has never been a regular All Black and may get to the end of his career, look back on his test debut and wonder whether he peaked that day.

Rodney So'oialo hasn't been sighted in 2011 and only he can say with absolute authority whether his heart is still in rugby or whether he views his salary as belated pay for all the thousands of rucks he hit between 2001 and 2008.

Aaron Cruden has won test caps, but has only started six Super Rugby games. The one area where the Hurricanes are among the best equipped teams in the competition is from No 12 through to fullback.

In Ma'a Nonu and Conrad Smith, they have the world's best midfield pairing and Hosea Gear and Cory Jane are two of the best creators and finishers.

However the impact these four can make is limited by those around them and the Hurricanes have multiple issues.

Andrew Hore is not playing 80 minutes each week and there is no manual that says it is a good idea to haul the captain off early. The last quarter of every game is where the big decisions are made, where the best leaders really make a difference.

The danger of this strategy seems something more for Mark Hammett to ponder than Hore. The All Black hooker has always grafted, dug in under pressure and made it through on willpower at times. There are few tougher characters than Hore and it sets the wrong example having the captain come to the sideline before the final whistle.

In days gone by there were leaders everywhere but not now. There also used to be a glut of loose forwards, but not now.

The Hurricanes are paying for the stability they enjoyed when Jerry Collins, Chris Masoe and So'oialo were the ever-present trio.

Emerging loose forwards in Wellington and the wider region couldn't get a look in, which is why players such as Thomas Waldrom, Scott Waldrom, Nick Croswell, Jarrad Hoeata and Matt Luamanu all moved on.

Victor Vito is the new improved So'oialo but he needs strong characters beside him. Instead he has Jack Lam and Faifili Levave, two men feeling their way at this level and it's not yet clear whether they have what it takes.

Vito and Hore are the only recognised ball carriers in the pack and, if things turn nasty, if it becomes a battle of wills, Jeremy Thrush leaves the Hurricanes short-handed as he is at his best when the game is fast and loose.

There are two good provincial men at halfback who are never going to make the A-list and two young first fives who haven't done enough to carry the expectation they do. Daniel Kirkpatrick has taken his chance but he's not a championship winner at this stage of his career.

Then there is Hammett. He is as much an unknown as some of the young players. He was an assistant with the Crusaders; he's never been a head coach. He could be brilliant. He could be awful, the only thing for sure is that the New Zealand Rugby Union took a risk by giving him the job ahead of local favourite Jamie Joseph.