All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has dismissed the concerns of Chiefs coach Dave Rennie, saying this year’s exodus of top New Zealand players to overseas clubs is no worse than any time in his memory.

Rennie this week said the departures, particularly of players one step below All Blacks level, was having a deeper impact on the national game than the New Zealand Rugby Union realised.

Former All Blacks Richard Kahui, Tamati Ellison, Lelia Masaga and Anthony Boric have all signed Japanese club contracts beginning after the Super Rugby season.

Chiefs captain Craig Clarke is leaving for Ireland while Blues centre Rene Ranger is reportedly close to signing a French deal.

Hurricanes pair Alapati Leiua and Jack Lam will be ruled out of All Blacks contention if they play for Samoa in South Africa next month.

While Hansen would prefer those players weren’t leaving, he says they are simply maintaining the trend of the last decade.

“It’s no bigger issue than it’s always been if you actually sat down and did the numbers,” Hansen said.

“It’ll continue to happen while there’s a professional game worldwide.

“At the moment it’s a hot topic because in one position (midfield backs Kahui, Ellison and Ranger) you’ve got quite a few players going and it makes it look like `wow, we’re losing everybody’. When the reality is that we’re not.”

The lesser workload and pressures of Japanese club rugby, along with the lucrative contracts, are making it increasingly the preferred destination.

Hansen admits Super Rugby remains an unrelenting arena but is pleased with how the five New Zealand franchises have rested and rotated players this season to keep them fresh.

“Coaches are being responsible and one or two have had injuries and that’s a blessing in disguise for those guys. They’ve had a chance to step out of it.

“You never wish that upon anybody, it’s just the nature of the game that we play.”

Hansen was also unsurprised about the sluggish form of some of his senior All Blacks, attributing their delayed start to the pre-season in the wake of a 2012 schedule which ended with Tests in Europe in November.

“They start eight weeks later than everyone else,” Hansen said after naming a 38-man training squad on Tuesday to prepare for the three Tests against France in June.

Injury-plagued Dane Coles has been anointed the hooker to fill the gaping void behind veteran All Blacks Andrew Hore and Keven Mealamu.

AAP dg/cwa/smm/rf