THE Welsh performances in the two World Cup warm-up matches against England have gone better than expected, but they have thrown up some major problems.

The biggest priority in the short time left before departure for New Zealand is the need to establish a platform up front because South Africa, who are first up Down Under, will profit from an abundance of possession in a way England never managed.

And then there is, as ever, the question of where to play James Hook, even more pressing now that Gavin Henson has been ruled out after finally looking the part again last Saturday in the half-an-hour he was on the pitch.

The pack problem has been compounded by a series of injury issues with doubts surrounding what would have been a Lions front row in New Zealand.

Matthew Rees, who would have been the captain, is out of the tournament with a neck injury while props Gethin Jenkins and Adam Jones have been sidelined as well.

Jenkins and Jones are said to be available for Saturday’s final warm-up match against Argentina but are they? There is so much being kept under wraps that it’s difficult to tell just what is going on.

The real seriousness of Rees’ injury, for example, became known only last week when the management must have known for some time that there was a real issue.

And what of the two props? Jenkins hasn’t played since January because of a toe injury which required an operation amid rumours of a long term arthritis worry while Jones has been out for months as well, also with a foot problem.

How can they possibly be match hardened in time for the World Cup and that opener against the holders South Africa?

You can be sure the Springboks will be a vastly different proposition when it comes to defending their crown than they’ve been in the Tri Nations when a number of key players have been held back.

Yet Wales could be about to throw in an admittedly world class couple of props who haven’t played for months, hardly the best scenario.

Yet there appears little real alternative for the scrum and the pack in general has creaked in the back-to-back England matches, unable to gain a platform never mind establish supremacy.

The big southern hemisphere teams won’t be anything like as profligate as England, who threw away chance after chance after arrogantly declining to go for goal early on but put the ball into touch instead in the mistaken belief that they could run in the tries at the Millennium Stadium.

The Welsh defence, especially new captain Sam Warburton, Dan Lydiate and Mike Phillips, was magnificent with a never-die-spirit which will stand them in good stead.

But that won’t be nearly enough against South Africa when Wales can’t afford to be crushed or it will have a bad effect on morale with dangerous Samoa to follow.

Another experienced forward with an injury question mark hanging over him is Ryan Jones – one of three players who were sent to London for three days last week for specialist treatment, Stephen Jones and Jenkins being the others.

Ryan Jones is probably due to have a dual role come World Cup time switching between his main No 8 position and fourth choice lock, so his fitness is also important. But again we don’t really know.

As for the Hook issue, it’s reared it’s head more than once already as Gatland has shifted him from pillar to post. He has been chosen in his favourite position of outside half while also moved to inside centre and full back.

Hook isn’t particularly happy with the situation and who can blame him?

He did express for almost the first time last week his dissatisfaction but has, reluctantly perhaps, agreed to carry on playing out of position in the interests of Wales.

Far be it from me to disagree with a former player of the creativity of Mark Ring who says Hook is the ideal man to be at 12 especially with Henson out of the picture but I’m convinced he is the best No 10 Wales can call on.

He has been accused in the past of lacking direction and unable to really control a game, but he is certainly better at that and he is the only real threat Wales offer in the middle of the pitch without involving crash bash down the middle.

He can’t possibly offer the same threat at full back, for example, and I would say he needs to be first receiver once the ball does leave the set piece or is recycled for that is where he can do the most damage.

Gatland has favoured Stephen Jones for years as his 10, but while he has been an admirable servant and still has a lot to offer he is 33 now and has become increasingly predictable.

Gatland of late has been more and more impressed with Jones’ understudy and heir apparent at the Scarlets Rhys Priestland.

It so happens that both are under an injury cloud, Jones with a calf injury and Priestland with a thigh problem, two more players with question marks over them.

But Priestland is too similar to Jones in his style, lacking the creativity and threat of a Hook.

So for me it’s No 10 for the Perpignan-bound player - he is heading for France because he wants to play in that position after the Ospreys overlooked him there.

He has earned the right to occupy that position for Wales. That is his wish, that is his best position so for goodness sake pick him there. Stop messing him about.