Blues 2019
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@Duluth said in Blues 2019:
@Steven-Harris said in Blues 2019:
I have also heard Ma Nonu apperars to be settling into some bad habits,pissed off that he was dropped after the Jaguaries game..the former All Black sat on his own in a corner stewing on his phone during the Blues v Sunwolves game as opposed to joining the non playing group who either joined the Coaches in the box or sat with the rest of reserves..
Hopefully they take a hard line with him. If he is introducing negativity like that I would rather he was paid to sit at home and not be involved with the squad at all. Negativity is contagious.
Agreed. Blues are much better giving Tele'a, Faiane and even Aumua gametime. MacDonald should take the long term view - this season is about setting the Blues up for next year and beyond.
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@Steven-Harris said in Blues 2019:
I have also heard Ma Nonu apperars to be settling into some bad habits,pissed off that he was dropped after the Jaguaries game..the former All Black sat on his own in a corner stewing on his phone during the Blues v Sunwolves game as opposed to joining the non playing group who either joined the Coaches in the box or sat with the rest of reserves..
Seems like a teachable moment for both guys. Leon use his experience sitting on benches for a good part of his AB career to show Ma'a how to do it. Nonu can use his experience has a world-class midfielder to teach Rangi the basics of midfield play.
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@Steven-Harris said in Blues 2019:
I have also heard Ma Nonu apperars to be settling into some bad habits,pissed off that he was dropped after the Jaguaries game..the former All Black sat on his own in a corner stewing on his phone during the Blues v Sunwolves game as opposed to joining the non playing group who either joined the Coaches in the box or sat with the rest of reserves..
Is this telling us something..?,one thing I will give SBW ,whenever he is not involved in the playing 23,he’s one of the most supportive players in the squad.I think it's telling us that Umaga and Rangi have/had a very different vision of signing Nonu.
Putting him at 13 against the Saders (which showed a loss of edge in pace, especially in defence) then discarding him was a bit dumb. They should be using a SBW/Nonu double act at 12. SBW to start and Nonu to come on and add punch in the last half hour. -
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@Steven-Harris said in Blues 2019:
My mail is telling me James Parsons will be re signing with the Blues for another 2 x seasons
Geez i hope not! If they are that desperate to resign him then atleast give him one year contracts otherwise we
are going to end up with another Leni Apisai.
Hopefully Rangi can convince Ben Funnell to come up, he’s 3rd choice at the Crusaders these days but would be a starter for us. Robbie Abel or Greg Pleasants-Tate could be other options. -
@shack said in Blues 2019:
@Steven-Harris said in Blues 2019:
My mail is telling me James Parsons will be re signing with the Blues for another 2 x seasons
Geez i hope not! If they are that desperate to resign him then atleast give him one year contracts otherwise we
are going to end up with another Leni Apisai.
Hopefully Rangi can convince Ben Funnell to come up, he’s 3rd choice at the Crusaders these days but would be a starter for us. Robbie Abel or Greg Pleasants-Tate could be other options.He's just a Canterbury version of Parsons.
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@Nepia said in Blues 2019:
@shack said in Blues 2019:
@Steven-Harris said in Blues 2019:
My mail is telling me James Parsons will be re signing with the Blues for another 2 x seasons
Geez i hope not! If they are that desperate to resign him then atleast give him one year contracts otherwise we
are going to end up with another Leni Apisai.
Hopefully Rangi can convince Ben Funnell to come up, he’s 3rd choice at the Crusaders these days but would be a starter for us. Robbie Abel or Greg Pleasants-Tate could be other options.He's just a Canterbury version of Parsons.
I almost wrote that Parsons was the Auckland version of funnel earlier
Good backup/ 3rd string hooker. But not enough of an athlete to dominate at super level.
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@Tim He's a different sort of player to most of the hookers in NZ - maybe more like that Steve Thompson who played when England won the RWC.
Big unit, not hugely mobile, but with good ball skills - plus he can scrum and hit his lineout targets.
His relative mobility might be an issue for the ABs, where he might not be able to simply slot into a team without adjustments elsewhere - but, he can play.
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On bluesrugbyteam Face book
BTV is back On Facebook live this Tuesday 26 March at 6.30pm!Learn about restrictions on @allblacks in Super Rugby, meet stand-out @northlandrugby loosie Tom Robinson and your chance to put questions to our coach Leon MacDonald in a live Q+A.
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The Blues and New Zealand Rugby have landed two key player signatures with All Blacks Dalton Papalii and Patrick Tuipulotu committing their immediate futures to the Super Rugby side and NZR. Twenty-one-year-old loose forward Papalii, who made his All Blacks Test debut on the Northern Tour last year, has extended his stay at the Blues to at least 2022, while co-captain and lock Tuipulotu has committed for a further year until the end of 2020.Full story: https://theblues.co.nz/papalii-and-tuipulotu-extend-their-stay-with-blues-and-nz-rugby/
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Blues A named to play Chiefs A
🗓: Friday 29th March
⏰: 2:30pm kick off
📍: Beetham Park, Hamilton-
Ezekiel Lindenmuth
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Leni Apisai
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Marcel Renata
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Jimmy Tupou
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Ben Nee-Nee
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Waimana Riedlinger-Kapa
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Jed Brown
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Hoskins Sotutu
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Sam Nock
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William Havili
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Caleb Clarke
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Levi Aumua
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Michael Collins
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Jordan Hyland
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Matt Duffie
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Luteru Tolai
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Lua Li
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Rob Cobb
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Sam Caird
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Kosuke Hattori
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Taufa Funaki
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Zarn Sullivan
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Hawaii Ahokovi
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Masaki Fujisaki
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Cameron Suafoa
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@Tim With Leon Fukofuka gone we probably will see him get a run. Auckland and Blues have HUGE wraps on him.
Lindenmuth, Tupou, Jed Brown, Clarke, Duffie all making returns from injury. William Havili - younger brother of David Havili so McDonald wouldve had something to do with his being up here. Ahokovi was one of the best on field the last Blues A game against the Hurricanes. Zarn Sullivan brother of Chiefs Bailyn Sullivan.
Thats a decent backline there. -
@Tim not too sure bout that. Cameron Suafoa also brought in to cover lock/loose forward. Has been training with the Blues the poast couple of weeks. Big strong ball running forward, decent lineout option. Member of the winning Akl U19s team in 2017. Was in strong contention for the NZ20s last year but a dislocated shoulder in preseason scuppered that. Counties Manukau were very keen on him this year for Mitre 10 but hes opted to stay in Auckland on a lesser deal.
