Blues 2021

Crazy Horse

@Bones said in Blues 2021:

@Crazy-Horse said in Blues 2021:

I have yet to see AJ Lam do anything to make him stand out, good or bad. Have I missed something?

Hah that's weird to see when I've missed the last couple of games and he was absolutely carving up prior to that. Wasn't he high up in both tries scored and assists?

I never saw the early games where Lam was carving up. The ones I saw he was solid enough - no glaring errors. I couldn't even tell if he was fast ot not.

Yeetyaah

@Stargazer I read, but y'all said it wasn't confirmed by MacDonald and nothing confirmed about either of them.

Tim

Blues 2021 squad:

Hookers: Ray Niuia ( Ta$man), James Parsons (North Harbour), Soane Vikena (Auckland).

Props: Alex Hodgman (Auckland), Nepo Laulala (Counties Manukau), James Lay (Auckland), Marcel Renata (Auckland), Karl Tu’inukuafe (North Harbour), Ofa Tuungafasi (Auckland).

Locks: Gerard Cowley-Tuioti (North Harbour), Sam Darry (Canterbury), Josh Goodhue (Northland), Jacob Pierce (North Harbour), Patrick Tuipulotu (Auckland).

Loose forwards: Blake Gibson (Auckland), Dillon Hunt (North Harbour), Akira Ioane (Auckland), Dalton Papalii (Counties Manukau), Taine Plumtree (Wellington), Tom Robinson (Northland), Hoskins Sotutu (Auckland).

Halfbacks: Finlay Christie ( Ta$man), Sam Nock (Northland), Jonathan Ruru (Auckland).

Inside backs: Otere Black (Bay of Plenty), Stephen Perofeta (Taranaki), Harry Plummer (Auckland).

Midfield: TJ Faiane (Auckland), Rieko Ioane (Auckland), Tanielu Tele’a (Auckland).

Outside backs: Caleb Clarke (Auckland), AJ Lam (Auckland), Jone Macilai-Tori (Northland), Emoni Narawa (Bay of Plenty), Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens (Taranaki), Zarn Sullivan (Auckland), Mark Telea ( Ta$man).

Tim

No Eklund. Only three midfield backs.

taniwharugby

@Tim wow, Macilai!

Tim

Blues development player of the year and New Zealand under-20 hooker Vikena (signed for four years) was injured in the Mitre-10 Cup, which means the well-performed Kurt Eklund returns as injury cover. Eklund (Bay of Plenty) has signed a two-year deal with the Blues that kicks in from 2022.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/300173586/super-rugby-blues-add-swathe-of-young-comers-to-bolster-deep-and-impressive-squad

Yeetyaah

Fuuuuck look at that backline depth. Y'all managed to snag Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens.

Bovidae

Plumtree?

It's not like Auckland doesn't have a surplus of loose forwards around. Finau was involved with the Blues this year too.

Tim

The first-year players are Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, lock Sam Darry (Canterbury), Plumtree (Wellington) and the Auckland quartet of hooker Soane Vikena, Lam, Sullivan and Samoa and ex-Bristol prop Lay.

Tim

@Bovidae Yeah, odd selection. Like the hookers, may be due to early signings?

Tim

Depth in midfield is a big concern.

taniwharugby

@Tim i had heard the Blues were keen on Tua, I wonder if he might be available for the latter part of the season, so they'll give him a Dev contract or something ?

Bovidae

@Tim One more year for Parsons then before Eklund replaces him?

Stargazer

For who prefers imgages:

alt text

Stargazer

From the media release:

There is one further player to be named in a 38-strong squad.

https://blues.rugby/2021-squad-named/

KiwiMurph

@Stargazer I presume a midfielder.

KiwiMurph

So I wonder how Eklund works?

Is he in for the whole season replacing Vikena?

Or only part of the season?

Crucial

I know this signing was announced a few weeks ago but the Blues have scored a bit of a coup stealing Darry from Crusader land.
Decent prospect by all accounts, just that the locking queue in red and black is a bit long.
His mum is the nutritionist on the weetbix ads and his dad was a North Otago rep and good mates with Steve Hansen

nzzp

@Crucial it seems that Auckland is suddenly a credible (even attractive) destination for young players.

At long bloody last is all I can say.

Crucial

@nzzp also helps that he is friends with Rangi’s son

The Silver Fern

Blues 2021