Blues 2019
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@KiwiMurph said in Blues 2019:
That doesn't mean players who aren't up to Super Rugby standard should get picked again and again and again. Definition of insanity and all that.
Yes it was the re-selection that was the problem.
He had a pretty good NPC back in 2016 and was worth a look. His problem at SR level was how poorly he coped with the increased physicality.
A commentator mentioned at the end of the 2017 SR that his contract was not being renewed. That was a good call... then they gave him another contract a couple of months laterI guess the reason @Tim was comparing Matich to Taramai was because his NPC form has been at least as good as Taramai but he never got an opportunity. Meanwhile Taramai got the opportunity to fail twice.
It's too early to judge Matich but he's looked relatively comfortable in his cameos for the Chiefs (during an injury crisis last year) and for the Blues on the weekend.
I think he was involved in one defensive mixup but he certainly didn't get bullied like Taramai used to -
@African-Monkey said in Blues 2019:
@antipodean Lucky Tana isn't coach then we'd have Rieko back at 12.
Tana is doing the Rugby world a favour. When some multi millionaire Frenchman is whinging about him in 5 years time at least he'll have had experience playing in the midfield when he gets shunted there.
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@Crucial said in Blues 2019:
@Tim said in Blues 2019:
Another positive was that Matich looked a lot better than Taramai at this level.
Not getting at your comment or assessment @Tim but it occurred to me that considering the amount of moaning we do about depth being eroded by overseas clubs the players that stick around to make up the numbers here cop a lot of criticism. Taramai is the type of player that could earn ok in Japan/Italy or second tier UK/France yet is still here.
Maybe we should accept that there is a place for these guys and judge them accordingly?So like Matt Matich then? I had heard he was likely to head offshore after the last NPC if he didn't pick up a SR gig. As @Duluth mentioned he has been consistently good for a few seasons now (arguably much better than Taramai) and never got much of a chance.
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@Duluth said in Blues 2019:
Do we know how long Duffie, Trainor, Gibson etc are out for?
Are the back after the overseas trip?
Gibson I'd say will be back either for the Sunwolves game or for the first game after the bye.
In an article on 1 February "with co-captain Blake Gibson out likely a month with an ankle sprain"
Not sure about Duffie (hamstring) and Trainor (thigh)
EDIT - an update - Trainor has been named in the Auckland tour to ACT/NSW with games this Friday and next Friday. Scrafton is also in the squad.
Tour down-under to commence for Auckland Contenders
24-man squad to play matches against Brumbies A and Waratahs A sides Opportunity for players to experience a High...
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The Blues A Team vs Chiefs Dev
Friday 22nd February, 5pm Pakuranga United Rugby ClubSTARTING XV:
1 Ian Fata - North Harbour
2 Leni Apisai - Blues
3 Connor Halangahu - Auckland
4 Scott Scrafton - Blues
5 Danny Drake - North Harbour
6 Temo Mayanavanua - Northland
7 Adrian Choat - Auckland
8 Glenn Preston - Northland
9 Jack Grooby - Ta$man
10 Daniel Kirkpatrick (c) - Auckland
11 Jordan Hyland - Northland
12 Harrison Groundwater - North Harbour
27 Levi Aumua - Blues
14 Mark Tele'a - North Harbour
15 Tomas Aoake - North HarbourREPLACEMENTS:
16 Luteru Tolai - North Harbour
17 Kaynan Tua - Auckland
18 Brad Leuila - North Harbour
19 Sam Caird - Northland
20 Hauwai McGahan - North Harbour
21 Lewis Gjaltema - North Harbour
22 Wiseguy Faiane - Northland
23 Nikolai Foliaki - Auckland
25 John Cooper - Auckland
28 Isi Manu - Auckland -
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@KiwiMurph said in Blues 2019:
I believe Olmstead's time with the Blues is up and he's moved back to Australia.
Bummer, fan of his.
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@KiwiMurph said in Blues 2019:
I believe Olmstead's time with the Blues is up and he's moved back to Australia.
Thats a shame
The Tahs should pick him up. He would do a similar job Potgieter did for them a few years ago.. which was the last time they where good
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@taniwharugby He was Waikato last year wasn't he? Maybe he signed for the Taniwha for this year.
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@Yeetyaah said in Blues 2019:
@taniwharugby He was Waikato last year wasn't he? Maybe he signed for the Taniwha for this year.
Yes, he played for Waikato in 2017 and 2018.
He also played for NZU20 at the 2017 JWC (all five games, 2 starts in pool games, 3 from the bench). He alternated with Sam Slade as Walker-Leawere's locking partner.
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@Tim I didnt even notice that...be good if they can get a quality wing/fullback after missing out on getting Alaimalo back.
Wonder if Whitcombe being with the U20's will see the odd player head North for a run
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@taniwharugby said in Blues 2019:
@Tim I didnt even notice that...be good if they can get a quality wing/fullback after missing out on getting Alaimalo back.
15 Tomas Aoake - North Harbour
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@taniwharugby Were the Taniwha trying to get Alaimalo back? Any idea where he's headed if he isn't heading back there?
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@Yeetyaah yeah he was negotiating form pretty much end of the NPC season but told NRU a few weeks back he wouldnt be coming back, my understanding is he was trying to get his brother a contract too, but from what I heard it looked like he never really intended coming back and was just using Northland as a negotiating tool for his preferred option, which I suspect will be (is?) Waikato (with his brother there) as he wants to play FB, which he wont by staying in Ta$man (and part of why he was looking around by all accounts)
