Lomu has been dropped to the bench by the Hurricanes

New Zealand selector Kieran Crowley has warned Lomu his past World Cup heroics will count for nothing.

"We are starting with a clean slate. What he did (in the 1995 and 1999 World Cups) is in the past," said Crowley.

"We will be picking this year's team on form."

Lomu has failed to impress for the Wellington Hurricanes in the Super 12 so far, missing the first two rounds through injury and playing only 55 minutes against the Stormers before being replaced.

The 27-year-old will start on the bench for the Hurricanes in Saturday's game against the Sharks with coach Colin Cooper preferring to play specialist full-back Brent Ward on the wing.

Cooper has admitted he is partly responsible for Lomu's poor display, by rushing the player back into the side after just one training session.

"He is the sort of player who cannot afford to have two or three weeks of nothing. I'll have to be smarter in the future with Jonah," said Cooper.

With the Hurricanes looking unlikely to progress to the latter stages of the Super 12, Lomu's chances to impress All Blacks coach John Mitchell and the selectors are running out.