Hurricanes v Blues

[Crazy Horse]

I don't think it's good for the game that the Blues are holding all the good loose forwards. Somebody should think of the poor Crusaders having to play Sanders and Douglas on the weekend. Surely one of the Blues could be sent down to Christchurch to help them out.

[MN5]

@Crazy-Horse said in Hurricanes v Blues:

I don't think it's good for the game that the Blues are holding all the good loose forwards. Somebody should think of the poor Crusaders having to play Sanders and Douglas on the weekend. Surely one of the Blues could be sent down to Christchurch to help them out.

Yeah the Saders have had the shit end of the Super stick since the competition began. You've gotta feel for them.

[Crazy Horse]

@MN5 the refs know it too, that's why they give them a free ride every week 😀

[Chris]

@Crazy-Horse said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@MN5 the refs know it too, that's why they give them a free ride every week 😀

down vote

[Duluth]

Carroll gets the nod at 6. He's gone ok so far.

Still no Nock..

[Stargazer]

[Stargazer]

Jason Holland has really lost the plot:

Hurricanes

1 Ben May
2 Dane Coles [cc]
3 Tyrel Lomax
4 James Blackwell
5 Scott Scrafton
6 Reed Prinsep
7 Du’Plessis Kirifi
8 Ardie Savea
9 TJ Perenara [cc]
10 Jackson Garden-Bachop
11 Ben Lam
12 Ngani Laumape
13 Peter Umaga-Jensen
14 Kobus Van Wyk
15 Jordie Barrett

RESERVES
16 Asafo Aumua
17 Fraser Armstrong
18 Alex Fidow
19 Isaia Walker-Leawere
20 Vaea Fifita
21 Jamie Booth
22 Billy Proctor
23 Wes Goosen

Hurricanes name team for blockbuster Blues clash

[Machpants]

Dan Carter Matt Duffie

Will there be a bigger drop in quality this year?

[Machpants]

@Stargazer FFS well done Fletcher, now fuck off

[antipodean]

@Stargazer Does he have anyone better in his squad than that 23?

[Stargazer]

Did Holland watch the game on Sunday?

Putting Prinsep back in is stupid enough, but no Fletcher Smith, who so clearly brought more spark to the Canes' attack?

Only positive is IWL on the bench, but no Flanders.

[Machpants]

@antipodean said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@Stargazer Does he have anyone better in his squad than that 23?

It means TJ will have played pretty much every minute, 9 into 10.

[foobaNZ]

I can't even with these Canes selections

Flanders shows more value each time he plays than Princep ever has

Laumape was so much better outside Fletcher, who made some good breaks himself and kicked well - yet he's dropped?

Proctor still making the squad despite showing nothing, ever

Fortunately the Blues haven't picked Nock (think he's far better than their other halves).

[Duluth]

15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Mark Telea, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Harry Plummer, 11 Emoni Narawa, 10 Otere Black, 9 Finlay Christie; 8 Akira Ioane, 7 Dalton Papalii, 6 Aaron Carroll, 5 Josh Goodhue, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu (c), 3 Ofa Tuungafasi, 2 Kurt Eklund, 1 Alex Hodgman.

Reserves: 16 Tolai Luteru, 17 Marcel Renata, 18 Sione Mafileo, 19 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 20 Tony Lamborn, 21 Jonathan Ruru, 22 TJ Faiane, 23 Matt Duffie

---

Players not considered with injury: Jared Page (hamstring), Stephen Perofeta (fractured foot), Tom Robinson (knee), James Parsons (concussion), Hoskins Sotutu (knee), Jared Page (hamstring), Dan Carter (calf).

The Blues will take a largely unchanged line-up to Wellington to start the second half of Investec Super Rugby Aotearoa competition against the Hurricanes on Saturday.

A trio Bay of Plenty players are the only changes this week with Kurt Eklund and Aaron Carroll replacing the injured pair of James Parsons and Blake Gibson in the pack, while Emoni Narawa, who celebrated his 21st birthday this week, comes in for an unavailable Caleb Clarke on the wing.

The debut for 141-game Super Rugby veteran Dan Carter is on hold with the team taking the precaution to replace him on the bench after he was hampered with a minor calf twinge at training. His place in the reserves is taken by Matt Duffie while lock Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, back from injury, will celebrate his 50th game for the Blues.

Coach Leon MacDonald believes the side has taken plenty of positives from last week’s loss to the Crusaders into their clash with the Hurricanes on Saturday night.

“We did a lot of very good things at set phase and the collision area, and we produced some important front-foot ball. Hopefully the boys can take confidence from those positives into what will be another big battle this week,” said MacDonald.

“The Hurricanes are playing well and are renowned for their physical rush defence which we will need to counter.

“The nature of this competition means there will be injuries but that also represents opportunities for other players in the squad who have been working hard for their opportunity. Kurt and Aaron were both excellent when they came on last week, and Emoni has trained impressively in recent weeks to earn his chance.

“We have resisted any significant change in the backs. We are really pleased with how Harry Plummer is performing, while we believe Otere at first five and Beauden at fullback is our best option at present as they combine well.

[Tim]

Aaron Carroll at six is a big call!

NZ TAB:

Hurricanes $1.95
Blues $1.78

[foobaNZ]

Is Aso injured? Surely he at least makes the bench over Proctor?

[Tim]

MacDonald has made several injury-enforced changes, with breakout star Hoskins Sotutu missing with a knee injury suffered against the Crusaders which the Blues are hopeful isn't serious, while James Parsons (concussion) and Blake Gibson are also ruled out, while a cautious approach is being taken with Karl Tu'inukuafe, who sits out on Saturday after his return last week.

Sounds like Karl T's calf still isn't 100%.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12348530

[KiwiMurph]

I can't believe the Canes have brought back Harold Bishop at 10. Ridiculous call.

Flanders also terribly unlucky.

Not sure what is up with Nock.

[Tim]

@KiwiMurph Didn't someone post that Nock got hit with a cheap shot in a bar and lost some teeth?

[KiwiMurph]

@Tim wtf?