All Blacks skipper Scott Barrett has responded to criticism surrounding his slow start to the year, agreeing that his performances have not been up to scratch so far in 2025.
"At the moment I am not sure where Scott Barrett's form is at, as a player. I am a little bit concerned,'' Wilson said. "Didn't go to Fiji. You know, he is the All Black captain.
"I know what he is capable of as a player. He has been slow to start this year, and I am not saying he is not going to be an All Black.
"Just for his confidence and his impact he can have on the group, as one of the players that owns his spot and can go out there and lead the rest of the players, he is going to need some real support.''
Muliaina agreed but wondered whether Barrett might be carrying an injury; the second-rower missed a large portion of last year's Super Rugby Pacific season because of a broken finger.
"And you seldom see your All Black captains go through Super Rugby, sort of not performing,'' Muliaina stated.
"I just wonder whether he is carrying something. I actually do. Perhaps he is carrying an injury. I am not that worried to be totally honest."
While Barrett may have been struggling, the Crusaders are enjoying a far better run this year than last when they missed the playoffs, a result that very nearly saw coach Rob Penney sacked.
But the red-and-blacks sit in second place ahead of Friday afternoon's local derby with the Hurricanes, which offers the perfect opportunity for Barrett to rectify his supposed slide.
"I hold myself to a high standard and potentially some of the performances early in the year haven't been where I'd like," the All Blacks skipper said when asked about the criticism from Wilson and Muliaina
"It's the media's job to create interest and I've got opinions on performances and possibly those opinions have been not far off the mark.
"Having reflected upon that [last week], I'm looking forward to bounce this week."
Crusaders coach Penney threw his support behind his beleaguered forward and backed Barrett to return to his best through the back half of the provincial season.
"As much as I love those two gentlemen [Wilson and Muliaina], none of them have played in the forwards. Scoot [Barrett] is fine, he will be determined. He's a massively influential guy in our environment and we expect him to gradually get any doubters out of the way and he will kick on in the back end.
"By no means has he been bad. I guess players of his ilk have high expectations every week. They are human and there will be fluctuations. As the old saying goes, form comes and goes but class is permanent, and he's certainly got class and his form will come back to where we all hope it can be very quickly, no doubt."
The player Barrett beat out for the All Blacks captaincy last year, Ardie Savea, has meanwhile been in stellar form for new club Moana Pasifika.
The expansion franchise sit just outside of the playoff position through eight rounds and will chase a third straight win for the first time in their history when they take on the Blues at Eden Park this weekend.
