Former All Black lock Murray Pierce believes either Chris Jack or Mark Cooksley must be used to cure the New Zealand team's lineout woes for the Tri-Nations Test against Australia in Dunedin on August 11.

But Pierce fears that the lack of early Test game time given to Canterbury youngster Jack now counts against him being asked to start against the world-class locking partnership of John Eales and David Giffin.

Pierce fears the present All Blacks lineout will struggle against the Wallabies, and firmly believes the experiment of playing transplanted loose forward Troy Flavell at lock and at the front of the lineout has not worked.

The All Blacks lost three second-half lineout throws in their 12-3 win over the Springboks in Cape Town last Sunday because South Africa double-marked Norm Maxwell in the middle and the wet ball prevented the use of Reuben Thorne at the back.

Pierce is disappointed in the way Jack has been developed. "I'm very disappointed he hasn't had more playing time, and when he does come on, they seem reluctant to throw him the ball," Pierce said.

"If he's good enough to be chosen as an All Black, he's good enough to be thrown the ball. Unfortunately it's been found that Flavell is not a very good No 2 jumper at all, which means we've really only got the two options - Maxwell and Thorne.

"It makes it so much easier for the opposing forwards if they really only have to worry about two lineout options.

"And we're no good at short lineouts, so New Zealand's sort of stuck in a bit of a rut until they get that third jumper at the front."

Pierce said that balls thrown to Flavell were "not the guaranteed money ball".

His preferred option is for Cooksley and Jack to be used together, meaning both Maxwell and Flavell would have to make way.

"I'm very keen for that. It's going back to specialists who have the ability and a bit of grunt as well to add more power to the scrum.

"Norm Maxwell's not a man mountain when it comes to scrummaging. But Maxwell does make up for it in the lineout and kickoff time.

"The talent in the squad is right. It's just getting that final mix. I still think there's room there for one big lock at the front."

Pierce is also disappointed the All Blacks did not contest opposition lineout throws. Cooksley has had two games of club rugby for Fraser Tech in
Hamilton since returning from the AC shoulder joint problem which cut him out of the New Zealand's early Test matches this year.

But there is no game lined up for him this week because Fraser Tech were beaten in the Waikato semifinals last Saturday. - Sapa-NZPA