Blues 2020

[Duluth]

@KiwiMurph said in Blues 2020:

7s will take precedence. They play their next tournament at the end of this month and he's been building into the 7s for the last few months culminating in his first tournament last weekend in Sydney.

I suspect he isn't available but the status of him and Gregory at the Highlanders is strange. Both players made the full SR squad. Whereas a guy like Rayasi did not make the Hurricanes squad.

[Machpants]

@taniwharugby said in Blues 2020:

@Hooroo looking at the picture, the Waikato guy kicked him

Kolisi Ioane confirmed out for 6 weeks with a Grade 2 MCL tear broken hand caused by a dog shot by that piece of shit RiccitelliChief player

[Kirwan]

@Duluth said in Blues 2020:

Rayasi

Wait, Rayasi isn't in the Canes squad this year?

[Duluth]

@Kirwan

He's full time with the 7's

I think Clarke and Gregory are the only ones in a SR squad and the 7's. Not sure what that means when injuries hit the Blues/Highlanders.

[Kirwan]

@Duluth said in Blues 2020:

@Kirwan

He's full time with the 7's

I think Clarke and Gregory are the only ones in a SR squad and the 7's. Not sure what that means when injuries hit the Blues/Highlanders.

It's a waste of a squad spot if they can't be selected

Ok, that makes sense. Might have to start watching the sevens again, sounds like they have some good players again.

[Bovidae]

@Duluth Nanai-Seturo as well.

[KiwiMurph]

Halfback Finlay Christie is also close to a return to play from a neck injury; while forwards Gerard Cowley-Tuioti and Waimana Riedlinger-Kapa are will return next month, as will lock James Tucker from a knee injury.

[Snowy]

@Kirwan said in Blues 2020:

Might have to start watching the sevens again

Don't bother, with the "one loss and you're out" pool format and no quarter finals. It doesn't give a fair representation of the team's ability (but yes we have some good players in there again).

[Yeetyaah]

@KiwiMurph good to hear that Tuckers injury isn't too serious. Really rate him.

[Dice]

With Rieko out, I think Mark Telea will shift to the left wing and Narawa will be on the right wing. That's how it was when Rieko went off last week.

If Tanielu Telea was healthy, I'd have him and Mark on the wings and Narawa at fullback.

[Stargazer]

[Machpants]

"tomorrow they will work closely with the 1st team " maybe they'll learn a bit for the game vs Tahs?

[cgrant]

Lineup I'd like to see one day :

Tu'inukuafe or Hodgman
Niuia
Ofa T
Tuipolutu
Tucker
Robinson
Papali'i
Ioane or Sotutu
Nock
Barrett
M. Telea
Faiane
Ioane
Clarke
Narawa

[Bovidae]

More injured props?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/119418253/southland-stags-prop-joe-walsh-gets-blues-super-rugby-call-up

[KiwiMurph]

@Bovidae Mafileo looked like he took a knock on the weekend.

[Bovidae]

@KiwiMurph Walsh is a LH so would not be a like-for-like replacement. Renata might make the 23 this week.

[Steven Harris]

Southland even though they finished bottom of the table in the 2019 Mitre 10 Cup had the 3rd best scrum in the competition, can remember them dealing to the Auckland scrum on Eden Park , they were well beaten on the scoreboard,but their scrum not only on that particular day, but against much more vaunted opposition during the season dealt to many other packs at set piece scrum time ..
I think it’s refreshing that someone has obviously taken notice of Joe Walsh’s form on the loose head side of the scrum regardless of the team he is playing for.

[Bovidae]

@Steven-Harris said in Blues 2020:

I think it’s refreshing that someone has obviously taken notice of Joe Walsh’s form on the loose head side of the scrum regardless of the team he is playing for.

Walsh was part of a dominant University scrum in Waikato club rugby with Faiva and Moli before moving south. He wouldn't have had the same opportunities if he remained in the Waikato with other props ahead of him.

[OleOleOle]

@Bovidae That was a astar studded University team!

If i recall correctly there were concerns around his work ethic/ conditioning when he was in the Waikato, the change of scenery has clearly worked well for him.

[Bovidae]

@OleOleOle Yeah, IIRC Randle was the coach then. I went to the final when they lost to Marist. Koloamatangi was part of their propping rotation as well.