Blues 2016 squad

KiwiMurph

I would like to think there is potential for the Blues outside backs to improve - the likes of Li and Visinia have a heap of natural talent but haven't kicked on - will be interesting to see if they blossom a little more in a new environment.

taniwharugby

guess thats a vote of confidence for West to go out there and give it a good crack without worrying too much about being dropped (unless he is really terrible, week after week) 
 
I guess Parsons is a lock for 2, but I've never thought much of him, thought McDonald might be a better starting option with Parsons and Moulds fighting it out for the bench.

Dice

Personally, I'd have Bekhuis dead last on the depth charts for lock. I have a feeling had we not already had him signed up before Tana came, we'd of had Fatialofa here instead of him. I'd like to see a good dose of Luatua and Tuipulotu as a lock pairing in pre-season to see if it's worth running with during the season.
 
We messed up big time by not taking Pleasants-Tate. McDonald is too small to be affective at this level. Parson had a promising start to his Blues career, but has gone backwards with every season since then.

leytonandamanda

I like McDonald at hooker,very under rated player. I think he is actually better than parsons 
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

taniwharugby

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Dice" data-cid="552529" data-time="1452805488">
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We messed up big time by not taking Pleasants-Tate. McDonald is too small to be affective at this level. Parson had a promising start to his Blues career, but has gone backwards with every season since then.
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Which is where I am hoping Moulds will get a good shot, he is a big lad, strong, fast, has skills, just his throwing has been off more often than not, if he can sort that, he'll have the skill set to make the next step too IMO.

KiwiMurph

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Dice" data-cid="552529" data-time="1452805488">
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Personally, I'd have Bekhuis dead last on the depth charts for lock. I have a feeling had we not already had him signed up before Tana came, we'd of had Fatialofa here instead of him. I'd like to see a good dose of Luatua and Tuipulotu as a lock pairing in pre-season to see if it's worth running with during the season.
 
We messed up big time by not taking Pleasants-Tate. McDonald is too small to be affective at this level. Parson had a promising start to his Blues career, but has gone backwards with every season since then.
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Completely agree with this - although I feel with Akira Ioane having a little less mass and been in and out of the squad this year due to 7s I wouldn't be surprised if he is more used as a bench option than an automatic starter - meaning Kaino at 8 and Luatua at 6 will likely get a good run - just a hunch.

KiwiMurph

Good article here on Tana. <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://m.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11574524'>http://m.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11574524</a> 
It seems to suggest Bowden got punted.

taniwharugby

While only rumor, and one quelled in the taniwha forum when Bowden posted himself, there were issues with Bowden in the northland camp last year, but the sources (2 seperate ones) were pretty credible, so who knows if there really were issues, and why.

broughie

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="KiwiMurph" data-cid="552779" data-time="1452850689">
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Good article here on Tana. <a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://m.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11574524'>http://m.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11574524</a> 
It seems to suggest Bowden got punted.
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Good insight by Tana. He really was only a stop gap a best. But I have never really appreciated his rugby skills.

Crash

And yet Bowden seemed to do well in the UK.
Albeit, currently Bath look like a team in need of a miracle - well beaten by Leinster yesterday, and they already have incumbent (and soon to be England) first five, George Ford.

Gary

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="KiwiMurph" data-cid="552557" data-time="1452810906">
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Completely agree with this - although I feel with Akira Ioane having a little less mass and been in and out of the squad this year due to 7s I wouldn't be surprised if he is more used as a bench option than an automatic starter - meaning Kaino at 8 and Luatua at 6 will likely get a good run - just a hunch.
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Is it a given that 7's players will have to shed bulk this year. Titch is aiming at gold this year and I think there are fewer games being played each daythan the world series which may benefit the bigger type players and a more physical game style.

Crucial

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Gary" data-cid="553017" data-time="1453039344">
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Is it a given that 7's players will have to shed bulk this year. Titch is aiming at gold this year and I think there are fewer games being played each daythan the world series which may benefit the bigger type players and a more physical game style. 
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They will still shed a little bulk, but I have read a bit about how Titch's famous fitness regimes may not have the advantage they sometimes do in the olympics due to the structure.

bobily

There was an article a while back about how one of the players joining the 7s was planning to lose a decent bit of weight. Also, the news recently said that SBW had lost 3kg (which seems like a bit for so early on - it doesn't mean much if he doesn't continue to lose some, though).

KiwiMurph

Yeah i've heard Akira Ioane quoted recently talking about how he needed to "get skinny" for the 7s this year.

Tim

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<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://theblues.co.nz/no/'>Blues to open with free game against Rebels</a>

18 Jan 2016 
The Blues will kick off their 2016 Super Rugby season with a free admission game in Pakuranga next month. They will play the Melbourne Rebels in their first pre-season match at the Pakuranga Rugby Club on Thursday 4 February, the Blues announced today. 
The Blues are pleased to reach out to the Auckland community with free entry for the game. 
â€œThe communities in Auckland and Northland are our lifeblood and we want to continue to increase our work in our rugby communities,â€ said Blues Community & Brand Manager, Robyn Rowley. 
â€œLast year we brought back curtain raisers involving local college rugby, which we will continue this year. And when it allowed, the team also trained at some schools. 
â€œThis year we had the opportunity for a home pre-season game which is an ideal chance to give back a little to the community with free entry.â€ 
The Pakuranga Rugby Club is thrilled to host the game. 
â€œIt is exciting for the club and especially for the east Auckland community,â€ said club manager Stephen Hackett. 
â€œItâ€™s great to have the opportunity to host the Blues in its roots. It is an opportunity for our members and the fans out here to get in behind the match and for them to meet the Blues.â€ 
Hackett said the Pakuranga club has taken significant strides both on and off the field in the last five years and the opportunity to host a game of this magnitude is reward for a community that has really backed rugby. 
The match will kick off at 5.30pm with further details about the match and entertainment to follow. 
The Blues other pre-season games will be away against the Hurricanes at Eketahuna on Saturday 13 February and the Chiefs at Pukekohe on Friday 19 February, a week ahead of the season kick-off when they host the 2015 Super Rugby champions, the Highlanders at Eden Park. 
There are new options for True Blue Members this year. In addition to the eight-game season passes, fans can opt for a Flexi-Plan package and pick the games that suit you best. All other benefits, including free rides on trains and special event buses for all games, can be viewed by going to www.trueblues.co.nz
 
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KiwiMurph

From Blues Facebook page
 
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We'll also be announcing a Northland match for our June window soon, so watch this space 
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Dice

Stink news! I heard TJ Faiane is out for the season, if not the year, after re-injuring his ACL. Hopefully he's a bit like Conrad, where he gets all his big injuries out of the way early in his career, then is in relatively good health for the rest of his career.
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="KiwiMurph" data-cid="552557" data-time="1452810906">
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Completely agree with this - although I feel with Akira Ioane having a little less mass and been in and out of the squad this year due to 7s I wouldn't be surprised if he is more used as a bench option than an automatic starter - meaning Kaino at 8 and Luatua at 6 will likely get a good run - just a hunch.
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True. I'd hope that's not the case, though, just because we have Akira for a limited time.

KiwiMurph

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Dice" data-cid="553300" data-time="1453179873">
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Stink news! I heard TJ Faiane is out for the season, if not the year, after re-injuring his ACL. Hopefully he's a bit like Conrad, where he gets all his big injuries out of the way early in his career, then is in relatively good health for the rest of his career.
 
True. I'd hope that's not the case, though, just because we have Akira for a limited time.
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Bugger. Poor fulla. It was probably more of a development year for TJ anyway rather that getting too much gametime - he's still very young so hopefully he can come back and be in the frame next year.
 
I wonder if one of the Vaega boys may get a callup - I thought Cardiff was pretty impressive for Counties in the ITM Cup.

Tim

<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/75938800/tana-umaga-keen-to-coach-all-blacks-but-knows-blues-require-transformation-first'>http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/all-blacks/75938800/tana-umaga-keen-to-coach-all-blacks-but-knows-blues-require-transformation-first</a>


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Already three players â€“ Chiefs loose forward Taleni Seu, Auckland openside Mitch Karpik and first-five/fullback Mitchell Hunt â€“ have slipped through Umaga's grasp.
 
"We had players in line for us that we thought we could keep. They went for better opportunities ... multi-year, more money.
 
"Young players aren't going to wait around for a year or two. Although we'd love them to stay and we do a lot of development up here with young kids if we can't give them what they want and they get it from somewhere else then that's the reality of life. We've got to make sure we work hard to keep the ones we really want. You can't keep everyone."
 
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African Monkey

Lol I love it how the media act as if it's only ever the Blues region that loses players. It's very lazy journalism.

The Silver Fern

Blues 2016 squad