Blues 2021

[Daffy Jaffy]

@Tim Yes it was Dalzell. I just saw him on one news sport at the mud run. Also spotted Leni Apisai and I think young Auckland prop Fatongia Paea. I wondered what Apisai's inclusion meant for Luteru Tolai, but he may be there also with all three original hookers under injury recovery at present.

[Nogusta]

@Tim also Neria Fomai & Antonio Mikaele Tuu.

[KiwiMurph]

@Nogusta that's a lot of midfielders. I wonder if the rumoured Chocobares deal fell through?

[Nogusta]

@Daffy-Jaffy yea Tolai is there as well

[Tim]

Is Parsons back training? Haven't seen him so far.

[Nepia]

@Tim said in Blues 2021:

@Daffy-Jaffy said in Blues 2021:

Robert Rush, Nico Jones and Marco Fepulea'i

Nice spotting. So it looks like the following are in the wider training group:

Teague McElroy (loosehead prop, North Harbour)
Marco Fepulea'i (tighthead prop, Auckland)
Fatongia Paea (tighthead prop, Auckland)
Leni Apisai (hooker, Auckland)
Luteru Tolai (hooker, North Harbour)
Hamish Dalzell (lock, Auckland)
Robert Rush (flanker, Northland)
Niko Jones (flanker, Auckland)
Taufa Funaki (halfback, Auckland)
Josiah Maraku (midfield, Manawatu)
Neria Fomai (midfield, Manawatu)
Antonio Mikaele Tuu (midfield, North Harbour)

Is that a missprint? Or has he moved? @Stargazer ?

[Tim]

@Nepia said in Blues 2021:

Neria Fomai

Mistake from me.

[Nepia]

@Tim said in Blues 2021:

@Nepia said in Blues 2021:

Neria Fomai

Mistake from me.

The province is the mistake, not that he's up there training?

[Tim]

@Nepia Province. You can relax now.

[Nepia]

@Tim said in Blues 2021:

@Nepia Province. You can relax now.

[Stargazer]

@Nepia Province is the mistake, not that he's training with the Blues. Watch the second video in this article; at approx. 26 secs you can see him clearly. Wearing a dark red shirt, dark grey shorts and black leggings. Knowing that, you can also see him in the first video.

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[nzzp]

@Stargazer great quote from Kurt Eklund

"Mum used to tell me off for doing that kind of stuff - now I get paid for it. How good?

Edit: fixed autocorrect and formatting

[Tim]

Any news on what Choat is up to?

[Nogusta]

@Tim hes in there as well, preseason cover.

[Tim]

@Nogusta Cheers!

[Daffy Jaffy]

This from an espn report about where Argentinian players are contracted - "the rumor that links Santiago Chocobares with Blues seems to have waned". If so that likely leaves Maraku, Fomai and Mikaele-Tuu competing for the final full squad position. Fomai would be my pick on experience and I like his sevens pace. The other two would likely be happy to stay involved in a wtg/development spot at their age.

[KiwiMurph]

It's going to be interesting what the Blues do at 12 early on without Faiane.

If Chocobares is not coming then it gets interesting.

You could put Plummer at 12 but they tried that in 2020 for Blues and it failed against NZ teams - Blues only 2 losses in SRA came with Plummer at 12. There other options are rookies or Rieko/Tele'a at 12.

[Bones]

@KiwiMurph Leon might have been training the house down in the off season.

[KiwiMurph]

@Bones Tana might be the better choice at 12 if going down the player/coach route.

[Stargazer]

@Tim said in Blues 2021:

Any news on what Choat is up to?

@Nogusta said in Blues 2021:

@Tim hes in there as well, preseason cover.