Blues 2018

[pukunui]

@tim said in Blues 2018:

@pukunui said in Blues 2018:

Wayne Smith

He did make a big difference, but he was working with Henry, Hansen, and Rennie, who were pretty good coaches in their own right.

The point was that assistant coaches can make a big difference if they are good enough and are listened to.
Plumtree and Boyd is another example. It's a pretty widely held view that Plumtree is the brains there.
Maybe Leon can be Tana's brain.

[Chester Draws]

I don't think anyone thinks changing the coach will definitely make a big difference. If we thought that after Lam and Kirwan we sure don't now.

What is definitely true is that without a new coach, nothing will get better.

The Chiefs kept hoping Foster would do the business and the Crusaders kept hoping Blackadder would, but coaches simply do not get better (without changing teams and starting afresh). Their weaknesses become more pronounced not less.

(I'd argue this is true of all bosses, not just rugby. If you don't see good results quickly, you won't see them at all. And bad bosses never turn into good ones, but they do get worse.)

[nzzp]

@crucial said in Blues 2018:

Henry? He started the Blues and had so many riches at his disposal that the NZRU had to send NH and Northland to the Chiefs.

I was thinking more of his second stint as 'director of rugby' or whatever he was called in 2003.

That said, he was an assistant back then. Mind you, he came back post 2011, and didn't move the dial much.

As @Chester-Draws said, a new coach may not help, but we're unlikely to get there with the current lot.

[Tim]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12067295

[KiwiMurph]

@tim I'm pleasantly surprised Gibson didn't injure his hand punching....

[Tim]

@kiwimurph LOL. I think Rieko was just jealous that @Bones said Gibson was the player of the year.

[Nepia]

That "foodbill, hyped to the max, can't remember him doing anything on the field " better bloody not hurt our Rieko.

[Bones]

@tim year? His generation more like. If he's in the same generation as Papalii and no one else. Could change if Papalii proves himself on the international stage like Gibson has.

[taniwharugby]

Wonder if it's something they will or have gotten over or one of them will leave the Blues...

[African Monkey]

@kiwimurph Hahahaha!

Well Gibson has re-signed ans Rieko hasn't so will this be the last straw for Rieko?

[Virgil]

How many mins into the 2nd half till Crotty is injured and ruled out of the rest of the series?

[ploughboy]

@african-monkey reiko to the chiefs

[Nepia]

@ploughboy said in Blues 2018:

@african-monkey reiko to the chiefs

Followed by Akira ...

[Chris B.]

Big Seta is leaving and Colin Cooper can't breakdance.

[Nepia]

@rocky-rockbottom said in Blues 2018:

...followed by immediate full-hammer banning for Nepia and Ploughboy.

really though I wouldnt mind, both brothers deserve better than the USS Starship Shartsurprise

It will be worth it ...

[Dice]

This is what happens when backs think they can get away with being lippy outside of games.

[mimic]

I wonder what he could've said to Blake? Blake hasn't even been on the field..

[Tim]

@mimic Perhaps something like: "Why don't you try not being injured for once, you useless fluffybunny."

[Tim]

Or perhaps: "You can talk when you make it to more than an AB training camp. Oops, sorry Akira."

[Wurzel]

The Rieko/Blake beef stemmed from early in the evening at the game. Rieko had been knocking back a few drinks in the stands. Then was acting the goose on the field post-match when all the squad gathered. Gibson told him to pull his head in.

Meanwhile Rieko and Akira's dad had to be separated from a fan by security after Dad lost his cool with the spectator who was yelling abuse at 'lazy' Akira all game; unbeknownst to him that Akira's dad was sitting behind him.

Akira saw the scuffle and waded into the grandstand and had to be calmed down himself.