Blues v Chiefs
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From a player welfare perspective, I'm also surprised to see Plummer in the squad. Obviously, we have to trust them doing all the proper medical evaluations, but after last week, I really expected him to get a rest (despite the lack of an obvious third 10 at the moment).
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Goodhue is a bit of a worry, isnt that his 3rd stand down following a head knock?
Blues still smashing Akira though.
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@taniwharugby Not surprised about Akira starting because it's a NZ derby, but you have to wonder how many more minutes they're going to squeeze out of him before he finally gets a rest. It's getting a bit ridiculous.
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@taniwharugby said in Blues v Chiefs:
Still smashing Akira though.
Gibson/Papali'i/Robinson would work well.. they don't need to play him every match
Do you think Robinson could cover lock at SR level? Surely he could do the job GCT does? That would free up spot for someone like Sotutu
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@Duluth he is abrasive enough, is 1.98 I think, so tall enough to cover lock.
The Blues should have managed Akira better to be able to have him raring to go for this match rather than burning him out which it seems they are intent on doing...
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Solomon Alaimalo, Sean Wainui, Tumua Manu, Anton Lienert-Brown, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Marty McKenzie, Brad Weber (c), Tyler Ardron, Mitchell Karpik, Pita Gus Sowakula, Mitchell Brown, Jesse Parete, Angus Ta'avao, Nathan Harris, Atu Moli
Reserves: Liam Polwart, Aidan Ross, Nepo Laulala, Mitchell Jacobson, Sam Cane, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Shaun Stevenson, Alex Nankivell
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COME ON THE CHIEFS!!
You can lose every other game of the season but please win this!
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Anyone else finding it scary that a guy - who broke his neck while playing - is going back to playing SR again? Obviously, it has to happen at some point, but man, that was a horrible injury to come back from and it could have ended so much worse. I'll be glad to see him walking off the field in one piece after the final whistle. And I'll probably be like that for the next 4-5 games.
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I wouldn't worry about the minutes Akira is playing, he gets plenty of rest while he is taking his time getting up off the ground.
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@Stargazer said in Blues v Chiefs:
Anyone else finding it scary that a guy - who broke his neck while playing - is going back to playing SR again? Obviously, it has to happen at some point, but man, that was a horrible injury to come back from and it could have ended so much worse. I'll be glad to see him walking off the field in one piece after the final whistle. And I'll probably be like that for the next 4-5 games.
Skalk Burger had the same injury and returned to test rugby
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@SammyC said in Blues v Chiefs:
@Stargazer said in Blues v Chiefs:
Anyone else finding it scary that a guy - who broke his neck while playing - is going back to playing SR again? Obviously, it has to happen at some point, but man, that was a horrible injury to come back from and it could have ended so much worse. I'll be glad to see him walking off the field in one piece after the final whistle. And I'll probably be like that for the next 4-5 games.
Skalk Burger had the same injury and returned to test rugby
As did Liam Squire.
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Brown - Parete vs Tuipolutu - Scrafton. The Blues have a serious edge on their opponents as far as locks are concerned.
Karpik - Sowakula vs Papali'i - Gibson : same thing for the backrow.
I wonder why Nankivell is not in the starting XV. He's been impressive since the SA tour. -
@cgrant said in Blues v Chiefs:
Brown - Parete vs Tuipolutu - Scrafton. The Blues have a serious edge on their opponents as far as locks are concerned.
Karpik - Sowakula vs Papali'i - Gibson : same thing for the backrow.
I wonder why Nankivell is not in the starting XV. He's been impressive since the SA tour.Cooper seems to be trying to outdo Plumtree in the stupid lock selections.
Nankivell has looked good, even though he's like a prop in the backs. Manu has underwhelmed, but my expectations of him are low anyway.
@Yeetyaah said in Blues v Chiefs:
Chiefs FB page said that Luke Jacobson sustained a head knock at training this week.
Bummer, I saw Jacobson on the bench but didn't realise it wasn't the good one!
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@mofitzy_ said in Blues v Chiefs:
That Chiefs side is shockingly bad (hoping for a reverse jinx but honestly).
Amazing the difference 3-4 players can make to a side. Means the next tier can work off them rather than carry the can themselves.
Any Super side with MMac running the cutter is treading water. I think he has done an admirable job in general but, as others have pointed out, not only do you lose the aspect of an attacking 10 you get a handful of wtf moments that can be killers.
What has been good though is the way the Chiefs have slowly pulled back the season and hung tough despite these problems. I don't think they can sustain it but would be very happy for them to prove me wrong.
