His defence has improved, yes, but you would think with Rory O'Brien being absent that Hancocks workrate would have risen.
That's rather simplistic. Hit-ups are down for the props in general, though Merrin is playing longer and taking more hit-ups when he plays under 20s.
There's Wakeman who took Hancock's role and his rate is lower than Hancock's last year ... the right winger is making more metres than last year. In fact, the wingers took the first hit-ups off kick-offs early in the year.
The dummy-halves and halves combinations are light years ahead of what was there last year, meaning that everyone is more effective.
Metres per carry is the only accurate way.