Is it over for Hosea Gear?

Hosea Gear has some problems.

He lacks an X-Factor to unlock defenses from dead ball and to make space for himself. His positional play is out. His work rate is low. He seems unable to read the nuances of the play and make the right decisions. All of this conspire to make him look "unlucky".

Another try-less week goes past for him with another premium try scoring chance squandered.

Put him in the line up of great All Black wingers : Kirwan, Wilson, Lomu, Howlett, Rokocoko, Sivivatu and he quickly looks like the odd one out. A lot of people were surprised when he didn't make the RWC squad and we saw strange things like SBW or Richard Kahui on the wing, but were Ted, Shag and Smithy make the right call and leave him out? With the first piece of silverware tucked away, Is it time to give Julean Savea another go?

None of the NZ wingers are truly inspiring at the moment. Dagg is awesome, but the NZ wingers haven't really been tearing apart defences since Cory Jane was on fire a couple of years ago, or back when Sivivatu was playing.

I think Jane is awesomer than Dagg. Gear is an also ran winger who is in because of the lack of real quality available.

Just saw Counties Manukau play Southland. CM have a lock who can do 100m in less than 11 seconds. Put him on the wing!

I think Gear was a bit of a one season wonder. He's never reached the heights of 2 seasons ago and is in the team on reputation rather than performances.

Savea is a little raw still and Guildford an issue.....

Who's after that?

Kahui was playing left wing in the RWC because there's not a lot of options there Sgt.

I'd like to see Savea get a run against Argentina but I don't see it happening. He's definitely one for the future so an autumn tour would be good. Gear needs his confidence back. He could well do with a stint in sevens again to make him go over the importance of creating space for yourself.

I think he did the summer in 7's Kis for that exact reason.

Savea looks tasty but dire under high ball, Argies would have a field day

A bloke called Lomu was pretty pants when the ball was kicked to and behind him. Savea will get there. With the other two being so solid I think we can accommodate him on the left.

Rokocoko was also suspect under the high ball (exploited by SA) but made a comeback. Weaknesses like that can be worked on. Far more worrying would be defensive frailties. He's still a young kid. but what he has is an ability to bust the tackle and run the right lines. Get him with kicking drills alongside Jane and Dagg and he'll learn quickly enough. He has that destructive X factor though which is needed with these tight defences. Gear seems only effective in space and against the top teams you can't always rely on that.

He can bench press 190 kg I think, he deserves something in an All Black shirt for that.

Don't win matches by bench pressing. Got to score tries.

Perhaps Fruen could be converted to a winger, probably doesn't have the out and out pace to be an AB winger though.

It's bad enough converting fullbacks or wingers to OCs. Let's not start a horriblly ill-advised trend of converting OC's to wingers!

Ben Smith for OC. I can smell it coming.

To be fair a lot of 13's start off at wing then move inside, and could potentially spend time back there.

Fruen is a talent and maybe it's worth giving him a little international experience from the 11 shirt?

I don't think he has the game to be an AB centre, he just doesn't have the hands or the game understanding.

In fact i'm not sure if he will ever make it in any position, maybe he should just go overseas and play for Samoa.

If he's got defensive frailties at OC, you can bet he'll have them on the wing.