Blues 2020

[cgrant]

@Daffy-Jaffy said in Blues 2020:

Devine's passing was so sweet.

[KiwiMurph]

@shark said in Blues 2020:

@junior said in Blues 2020:

@shark said in Blues 2020:

Wow. Wow. Wow. Mauger was way better than you guys are making him out to be, and certainly the best 12 in NZ in the 2000s until Nonu settled into the position.

He was fortunate to play for the Crusaders and only ever looked good when he had Tana outside him covering his glaring defensive deficiencies

Again, wow. I started watching the guy in the 1st XV comp in 1996 and he was awesome then. He must have had A LOT of quality centres outside covering him right from then. And wasn't he also the U20s skipper? Big responsibility for a liability.

Given this is a Blues thread....Leni Apisai also captained the NZ U20s....

[junior]

@shark he was good first five in age grade footy. When he got older and moved out to 12 his softness was exposed. He also had a weird old man running style.

[shark]

@junior I thought he moved like a cross between Walter Little and John Leslie.

[Dice]

[Stargazer]

[Duluth]

No Taniela Tele’a in that list. They said recently he was almost back from injury.

[Frank]

@junior said in Blues 2020:

@shark he was good first five in age grade footy. When he got older and moved out to 12 his softness was exposed. He also had a weird old man running style.

He was certainly no Lee Stensness, that's for sure.

[Stargazer]

TEAM PREVIEW: THE BLUES

[Dice]

@Duluth said in Blues 2020:

No Taniela Tele’a in that list. They said recently he was almost back from injury.

And Tamati Tua's been named and he was the one who got called into the team for Telea earlier in the year. Hopefully that doesn't mean Telea won't come back, because once Marchant is done, he's really our only centre cover if Rieko gets injured.

[Nogusta]

@Dice pretty sure I read somewhere Telea had a full shoulder reconstruction. He played the Chiefs pre-season game this year so the surgery would have to have been around Feb/March? Shoulder surgery is what....anywhere between 6-8 months recovery so he probably targeting M10 for a return.

[Duluth]

[trodthesod]

After watching the Chiefs forwards perform in their 2012 and 2013 title victories it must be said Tom Coventry’s influence was massive .The resurgence of the Blues’ forwards game I feel has a lot to do with his direction.His ability to select players to fill his requirements for their role is also impressive.Brodie Rettalick,Ben Tameifuna,Karl Tu’nukuafe three he has “found” The Blues can be proud of getting him aboard.

[Duluth]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/300033208/super-rugby-aotearoa-blues-star-beauden-barrett-lapping-up-the-dan-carter-influence

[Tim]

When was the last time the Blues won five in a row?

[Tim]

The 120kg All Black 'casually' clocking 9.4 metres a second in Blues training sessions

England centre Joe Marchant has been revealing just how athletic his new Auckland teammates are, not least All Black lock Patrick Tuipulotu.

[Bones]

@Tim wait, what.... that's 94m in 10 seconds?

[Kirwan]

@Bones said in Blues 2020:

@Tim wait, what.... that's 94m in 10 seconds?

Only if he can maintain that speed. He must have great acceleration.

[taniwharugby]

@Kirwan would think it is more likely once at full flight over a 2 or 3 second shift, be surprising if it was from a standing start.

[nzzp]

Well, the TAB reckons we're second favourites to win this thing.

I think we're in the mix with Chiefs, and should finish ahead of Landers and Canes. Crusaders are favourites, but not sure the price is right.

We haven't really done much yet, there's lots of water under the bridge. Looking good to start though, which is great for a change!

OUTRIGHT WINNER-SUPER RUGBY AOTEAROA 2020
Crusaders 1.83
Blues 4.00
Chiefs 5.50
Highlanders 10.00
Hurricanes 12.00