As he struggles for form, the Crusaders kingpin may benefit from being relieved of the burden of skippering his country.
Having swatted aside their age-old rivals from NSW, Les Kiss' troops are well placed to live up to lofty pre-season expectations in Super Rugby Pacific.
Super Rugby Pacific has fallen on some fallow times in recent years but there are shoots of positivity emerging but the format is not perfect
The capitulation of the Melbourne Rebels have meant the rest of the Australian franchises have strengthened and expectations have risen
Super Rugby pre-season on both sides of the Tasman was in full swing over the weekend with Australian and New Zealand teams playing a handful of derbies.
Are we witnessing a shift in the power base of New Zealand rugby?
Head coach Warren Gatland has made just two changes to the starting team for the Chiefs' first home match of the Super Rugby Aoetearoa season against the in-form Blues.
Being part of the Wales set-up for the 2019 World Cup was the furthest thing from Stephen Jones' mind until he received a phone call out of the blue last week.