Blues 2020

Dice

@Tim Not many hooker options out there. I'd say the best guys available in the country would be Kereru-Symes or Pleasants-Tate.

Kereru-Symes is a young guy with potential and Pleasants-Tate has a bit of experience at this level.

nzzp

@Dice said in Blues 2020:

@Tim Not many hooker options out there. I'd say the best guys available in the country would be Kereru-Symes or Pleasants-Tate.

Kereru-Symes is a young guy with potential and Pleasants-Tate has a bit of experience at this level.

can't re-poach Abel?

Dice

@nzzp He's with the Waratahs this season.

nzzp

@Dice said in Blues 2020:

@nzzp He's with the Waratahs this season.

yeah, was wondering about re-poaching. AKL or SYD - not much of a choice really (@NTA when are you moving to paradise?)

taniwharugby

Jordan Olsen was with Blues dev team last year.

Duluth

@Tim said in Blues 2020:

I assume that Luteru Tolai has already replaced Nuia, any idea who will come in for Parsons?

I hadn't seen an update on Parsons so I googled Tolai to see if he was flying over to SA

I saw a message posted earlier today from his High school congratulating him on becoming a member of the Blues squad

I'm surprised he wasn't already a full squad member after the Niuia injury

KiwiMurph

Looks like an April 11 return date for Beaudie

Beauden Barrett's debut for the Blues is set to come earlier than expected.

Newshub understands Barrett wants to make his long-awaited debut for the franchise in round 11 against the Hurricanes at Eden Park.

Stuff

Tim

@KiwiMurph

Round 11 of 18. So he'll play 7 of the 16 regular season games.

KiwiMurph

@Tim more than SBW played most seasons he was a Blue.

Kirwan

@Tim said in Blues 2020:

@KiwiMurph

Round 11 of 18. So he'll play 7 of the 16 regular season games.

You counting the quarter, semi and final?

I can dream.....

Tim

@Kirwan I think we play each NZ team twice (8), plus 4 teams from each of the other conferences (8).

African Monkey

@Duluth Another good St Peters boy making it in pro rugby. He played in the same 1st XV with Harry Plummer funnily enough.

Dolamite

@KiwiMurph wasn’t he always coming back mid April? Newshub made it seem he’d be back in March lol

KiwiMurph

@Dolamite its 1 week earlier than anticipated.

It's the media what do you expect?

KiwiMurph

Interesting to see Jones in there (instead of 7s) and Funaki not starting.

Ganellen Blues U20s v Hurricanes U20s. McLean Park, Napier. Kick off is at 2:05pm. McLean Park, on Saturday the 29th of February.

Starting XV:
1 Tevita Langi – North Harbour
2 Soane Vikena – Auckland
3 Jimmy Roots – North Harbour
4 Damien Naufahu – Auckland
5 James Brown – Auckland
6 Rob Rush – Northland
7 Niko Jones – Auckland
8 Terrell Peita (vc) – Auckland
9 Manu Paea – Auckland
10 Zarn Sullivan © – Auckland
11 Heremaia Murray – Auckland
12 Lemeki Namoa – Auckland
13 Joel Cobb – Auckland
14 Lewini Mocevakaca – Auckland
15 Sofai Maka – Auckland

Reserves:
16 Gil Cann-Vaana – Northland
17 Leandro Vakatini – Auckland
18 Sione Ahio – Auckland
19 Joeli Matalaweru – Auckland
20 Noah Perelini – Auckland
21 Taufa Funaki – Northland
22 Corey Evans – Auckland
23 Patrick Elia – Northland
24 Kade Banks – North Harbour
25 Jack Gray – Auckland
26 Clayton Frans – North Harbour
27 Cam Church – Auckland
28 Meihana Grindlay – Auckland
29 Hamdahn Tuipulotu/ Aisea Takapu – Auckland
30 John Latu – Auckland

https://blues.rugby/ganellen-u20s-v-hurricanes/

Tim

@KiwiMurph said in Blues 2020:

Taufa Funaki – Northland

?

taniwharugby

@Tim error I think? I havent heard of any signing info (Setefano Funaki played for us last year, but he be a looosie/lock)

On checking the NRU site, I see Luatangi Li has signed for us though.

Daffy Jaffy

@KiwiMurph Blues U20 beat the Canes U20 24 - 22 in Napier.

Duluth

@Tim said in Blues 2020:

@KiwiMurph said in Blues 2020:

Taufa Funaki – Northland

?

I see the page got updated to say Funaki is an Auckland player. So it was a typo

Duluth

Newshub again claiming Barrett will play against the Hurricanes in Round 11

Stuff

Newshub can reveal Barrett will play his first game of competitive rugby in five months on April 4, running out for his home club.

The appearance will serve as the precursor to Barrett's Blues debut on April 11 against his former team, the Hurricanes.

The Silver Fern

Blues 2020