Blues v Chiefs

[KiwiMurph]

Interesting that Chiefs and Gatland are happy to put Trask at 10 for game 1 meanwhile the Canes won't even put McLutchie in their squad but instead go with 3 journeyman 10s.

[DrivingMaul]

@KiwiMurph That's harsh, Fletch Smith is hardly a journey man

[Crucial]

@DrivingMaul said in Blues v Chiefs:

@KiwiMurph That's harsh, Fletch Smith is hardly a journey man

Well he has journeyed from Ta$man to Canterbury to Otago to Wellington without setting the rugby world alight.....

[KiwiMurph]

@Crucial don't forget Waikato.

[Crucial]

@KiwiMurph said in Blues v Chiefs:

@Crucial don't forget Waikato.

The home of the 'journey'

[DrivingMaul]

This is his big opportunity

[Tim]

According to radio sport, Rieko Ioane has dropped some weight. Trying to boost speed?

[Yeetyaah]

@Tim surely he wouldn't need it. He's quite a lean athlete. Was speed his issue last year?

[KiwiMurph]

@Yeetyaah actually yes. He looked less explosive last year than earlier years. It looked like was carrying some more weight. So I think this is a good move.

[Tim]

[Machpants]

@Tim said in Blues v Chiefs:

According to radio sport, Rieko Ioane has dropped some weight. Trying to boost speed?

Dropping weight for the midfield from wing?

[KiwiMurph]

Nice to see a different approach is being taken with Akira (ie not playing him into the ground).

Was expecting Rieko at 13. Excited to see how Marchant goes.

[Tim]

There are several players with minor injuries who are not available for the opening round including James Parsons (back), Otere Black (rib), Finlay Christie (neck), Gerard Cowley-Tuioti (shoulder), Ezekiel Lindenmuth, Jared Page, Tanielu Tele’a while James Tucker is waiting on scan results on an injured knee..

https://blues.rugby/rieko-ioane-eyes-50th-cap/

[Tim]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=12304307

[Duluth]

Lamborn is the biggest surprise. I guess he went well in the pre-season?

Looking forward to see how the hookers go. Eklund is a good solid player and then hopefully Niuia can have a similar impact he had at the RWC

[DrivingMaul]

With rookie hookers and a 6 in the locks (Robinson) I expect the Chiefs to really target the lineout

[mariner4life]

@Duluth said in Blues v Chiefs:

Lamborn is the biggest surprise. I guess he went well in the pre-season?

Looking forward to see how the hookers go. Eklund is a good solid player and then hopefully Niuia can have a similar impact he had at the RWC

As a Chiefs fan, I'm gonna miss Parsons...

[KiwiMurph]

@mariner4life said in Blues v Chiefs:

@Duluth said in Blues v Chiefs:

Lamborn is the biggest surprise. I guess he went well in the pre-season?

Looking forward to see how the hookers go. Eklund is a good solid player and then hopefully Niuia can have a similar impact he had at the RWC

As a Chiefs fan, I'm gonna miss Parsons...

I was going to say - this is a big opportunity for Eklund and Nuia. Blues desperately need some new options at hooker.

[Nepia]

As a Chiefs fan I'm glad that Akira isn't even on the bench, glad that the Ginga is starting at lock, and quite glad that Lamborn is starting at 7 as he's never really seemed like Super level and he's really a 6.5 up against Cane on the openside, ah crap, scratch that.

I don't know much about Marchant, hopefully, he's not good at feeding Reiko on the wing.

[taniwharugby]

interesting move putting Robinson at lock, I know he started out there, but I think he is suited to a wider game that the blues used him for last year, he can play tight, but whether he will be as effective is another matter.

Akira not in the 23 is huge though, but maybe he just hasnt been ticking the boxes?