Blues 2021
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@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 ?
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@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?
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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.
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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.
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@KiwiMurph Leon might have been training the house down in the off season.
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@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.
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I wish someone in the Blues organisation had balls to have selected Moses Leo ..he was the outstanding midfield back in North Harbour rugby , is one of the few midfielders that has top end pace and more importantly looks for an outside gap .
.that ability was there for everyone to see at the ignite 7s..has just signed a contract with NZ 7s ..already know of 4 Mitre 10 cup unions chasing him..both Southland and Hawkes Bay highly interested ..the midfielders the Blues have in the wider training squad don’t do it for me -
@KiwiMurph said in Blues 2021:
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.
Tele'a would be my pick. The biggest question would be over his distribution.
Plummer is still learning at 12 and makes some bad reads on defence. Long term he'll wind up at 12 though
No way to moving Ioane. It's a waste of pace. Also look at highlights of the Blues tries last year - a good portion were created by the combo RI at 13 had with Clarke. I don't want to break that up.
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@Steven-Harris while Tua would still only be a rookie option for Blues, he really has missed another opportunity with him getting/needing surgery now, particularly as he was looking in career best form last year.
When he broke his hand a couple of seasons back, he also missed out on picking up plenty of minutes, IIRC this was when the Blues moved Reiko to 12 after plenty of injuries.
He is still only 23 so has time on his side.
