Blues 2021

[Tim]

Looking at that Blues squad, our forwards will be hard to beat. Should be able to dominate set piece and the ruck against many teams. The question is how well will the backs be able to use that ball? Black should be able to put the ball into the corners, and force full lineouts, but will we take the most of our chances, reduce errors, and make the right decisions in big games?

[Tim]

With most of the squad known or rumoured now, it's time to take a stab at a prediction, with an allowance for some players possibly being signed early on due to COVID uncertainty (e.g. Choat missing out):

Props

Tu'inukuafe
Hodgman
N Mayhew
O Tu'ungafasi
Laulala
Renata

Hookers

Parsons
Eklund
Niuia (may be replaced by Tolai until recovered from injury)

Locks

Tuipulotu
Pierce
Goodhue
Cowley-Tuioti
Darry

Loose forwards

Gibson
Hunt
Papalii
Robinson
Sotutu
A Ioane
Riedlinger-Kapa

Halfbacks

Nock
Christie
Ruru

1st Five Eighths

Black
Perofeta
Plummer
Heighton

Midfield

Faiane
T Tele'a
R Ioane
TBC

Outside Backs

Clarke (may be absent for Olympics Sevens)
M Telea
Narawa
AJ Lam
Raumaitavuki-Kneepkens
Sullivan

Tei Walden may be available for a midfield pick, provided he has recovered from his achilles tendon (?) injury. AJ Lam can cover centre, and possibly Clarke too. Meihana Grindlay might be a midfield bolter? NZ Schools 2019, NZ U20 training squad 2020. Would like to see Choat in the loose forwards if possible.

That's 38 players in total, looks like we had more last year due to cover for Clarke and Barrett, which included Marchant. Also had 8 loose forwards rather than 7, so maybe room for Choat yet.

Out:

Lindenmuth
Mafileo
Carroll
Lamborn
Tucker
Barrett
Marchent
Hyland
Duffie
Page

In:

N Mayhew
Laulala
Darry
Hunt
TBC (midfield)
AJ Lam
Raumaitavuki-Kneepkens
Sullivan

Provincial breakdown:

Auckland - 8 forwards, 8 backs, 16 total
North Harbour - 6 forwards, 1 back, 7 total
Northland - 2 forwards, 1 back, 3 total
Counties - 2
BOP - 3
Ta$man - 3
Canterbury - 1
Taranaki - 2

Match XXIII

Big decision over fullback, maybe right wing, but that's about it. Expect plenty of rotation in the forwards

1 Hodgman
2 Eklund
3 Laulala
4 Tuipulotu
5 Pierce
6 A Ioane
7 Papalii
8 Sotutu

9 Nock (MacDonald may favour Christie though)
10 Black
11 Clarke
12 Faiane
13 R Ioane
14 M Telea
15 Sullivan (tight contest with Perofeta)

16 Parsons
17 Tu'inukuafe
18 Tu'ungafasi
19 Cowley-Tuioti/Goodhue
20 Robinson/Gibson/Hunt
21 Christie
22 Plummer
23 T Tele'a

With A Ioane showing he can attack a lineout at test level, there should be a lot of good options on either side of the lineout throw. Tuipulotu is good at attacking opposition throws at test level too, with Sotutu demonstrating that ability in SRA this year. Pierce was a standout forward in the NPC, and attacked the opposition lineout well too.

Looking at that Blues squad, our forwards will be hard to beat. Should be able to dominate set piece and the ruck against many teams. The question is how well will the backs be able to use that ball? Black should be able to put the ball into the corners, and force full lineouts, but will we take the most of our chances, reduce errors, and make the right decisions in big games?

Interestingly/sadly, there's only three players in that 23 from the Auckland team that played in the NPC final, and only one in the starting 15.

[taniwharugby]

@Tim looking at the depth of the bench is impressive!

As you say, forwards are impressive, backs will be heavily reliant on the firepower of Rieko & Clarke, and after that things get a bit thinner.

[nzzp]

@taniwharugby said in Blues 2021:

@Tim looking at the depth of the bench is impressive!

As you say, forwards are impressive, backs will be heavily reliant on the firepower of Rieko & Clarke, and after that things get a bit thinner.

really?

Telea, TJ Faiane - no shame in there. Perofeta was coming into his own at 15 ... they're not world beaters, but solid enough

[taniwharugby]

@nzzp i just meant more reliant, didn't say they were shit or anything, plus an injury and it does get thin.

[KiwiMurph]

What's the go with James Little? Could he maybe pick up a midfield spot?

[Tim]

@KiwiMurph Maybe a bit small?

Antonio Mikaele-Tu'u might be on the fringe too?

[Tim]

Meihana Grindlay might be a midfield bolter?

NZ Schools 2019, NZ U20 training squad 2020.

[Bovidae]

@Tim said in Blues 2021:

Meihana Grindlay might be a midfield bolter?

NZ Schools 2019, NZ U20 training squad 2020.

He needs to prove himself at NPC level first. Grindlay can be a devastating runner but doesn't have much subtlety to his game.

[Tim]

@Bovidae Cheers. I've only seen him in schools rugby highlights.

[Bovidae]

@Tim I assume he played club rugby in Auckland this year?

[Tim]

@Bovidae Yeah, started a lot of games for College Rifles.

[Nogusta]

@Tim Not 100% sure but I heard a whisper that Ruru has been released.

[nzzp]

@Nogusta said in Blues 2021:

@Tim Not 100% sure but I heard a whisper that Ruru has been released.

surely not! If so, well done on the good oil.

[Tim]

@Nogusta Interesting. Wonder if his replacement would be Funaki or someone else?

[gt12]

@Tim said in Blues 2021:

@Nogusta Interesting. Wonder if his replacement would be Funaki or someone else?

Kid looks good.

[Stargazer]

If Ruru has been released ... it wouldn't surprise me at all if the Canes picked him up with TJP gone and Booth injured.

[Yeetyaah]

@Stargazer he'd be selected as a lock for the canes though eh?

[taniwharugby]

wow, I thought he has been bloody good for Auckland this year too, probably his best season.

[nzzp]

@taniwharugby said in Blues 2021:

wow, I thought he has been bloody good for Auckland this year too, probably his best season.

I agree, based on what I have seen. His performance against Northland was top notch (sorry @taniwharugby )