Former All Blacks winger Jeff Wilson has spotted a problematic trend with New Zealand clubs in Super Rugby Pacific that is a \u201creal area of concern\u201d for Dave Rennie.<\/p>\n
He says that the teams are struggling with their lineouts this season, with no real standout jumper other than the Hurricanes\u2019 Japan international, Warner Dearns.<\/p>\n
Wilson made the claim when discussing some of the potential All Blacks<\/a> bolters for the upcoming international season, with former full-back Mils Muliaina praising the performances of Blues lock Sam Darry.<\/p>\n Area of concern<\/p>\n \u201cI think Sam Darry has just been exceptional the last few weeks\u2026 he\u2019s one of the guys who have really started to step up,\u201d Muliaina said on the Breakdown<\/a> show.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, last year, he was out with injuries. I like the way he\u2019s sort of going about things, even in the cleanout; that\u2019s a department where he\u2019s been really effective.\u201d<\/p>\n Wilson<\/a> hopes that Scott Barrett\u2019s return from his non-playing sabbatical and injury will change things for the Crusaders, with the same being true for the Blues, who welcomed Patrick Tuipulotu back from injury against the Highlanders last weekend.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need a lock, a real lineout forward to step up over the next month or so as we get closer to the All Blacks,\u201d Wilson began.<\/p>\n \u201cSomeone to actually own that space. I think all of the New Zealand teams are struggling at lineout time to find clear air, and whether it\u2019s a Josh Lord, whether it\u2019s the return of Scott Barrett, whoever it might be. Because of no Warner Dearns, he\u2019s not available for the All Blacks. A lot of people wish he were. We kept picking him every week [in the team of the week], but he\u2019s not [eligible].<\/p>\n \u201cTo me, that is an area of concern. Patrick Tuipulotu is back, but we need a real lineout player in the middle who can own that space. We used Fabian Holland with the All Blacks last year, and so did the Highlanders. So I look at that, and I think Darry is doing that really well.\u201d<\/p>\n All Blacks touring party for Springboks series to smash British and Irish Lions number \u2013 report<\/a><\/p>\n Eddie Jones\u2019 bold prediction after Dave Rennie\u2019s Brodie Retallick comments with \u201935 the new 30\u2032<\/a><\/p>\n All Blacks bolter<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the 52-year-old also picked out his bolter for the upcoming season as he praised German-born back-rower Anton Segner for his performances with the Blues.<\/p>\n The 24-year-old loose forward has been a consistent fixture in the Aucklanders\u2019 back-row this season with Dalton Papali\u2019i and Hoskins Sotutu missing chunks of their campaign due to injury.<\/p>\n Dave Rennie completes All Blacks management group as \u2018secret ingredient\u2019 from Steve Hansen\u2019s \u2018golden era\u2019 returns<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cI find it very difficult to find a bolter for the first three Test matches, but I think you can find some for the series in South Africa for that big touring group, and Anton Segner is the mover for me over the last few weeks,\u201d Wilson said.<\/p>\n