Blues 2021
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Probably bad timing but here is a great article on the 2003 Blues side:
King Carlos, Caucau, Dougie, and the most exciting club team of the pro era
The Blues ripped up the Super 12 in 2003 with a thrilling group of players.
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well, damn.
The last 2 minutes against the Chiefs (and the terrible maul call by the refs), and that brain dead, insipid performance on Friday night defines our season. It's a hard road to the final from here - need to get a point more than the chiefs where we have Crusaders away, Chiefs at home, and htey have Canes at home, and us away. Need to win both our games to have a shot, or rely on a massive Hurricanes upset.
Feels a very mixed bag for the season. Two steps forward, one step back. Our first few games we played well; the game against the Highlanders at home it felt like we could crack 50 points cantering away. We asked some damn good questions of the Crusaders, but they were good enough to respond, and take the game. Since then, thouhg, both teams have fallen apart in the quality of rugby put out there.
Overall, I'm still not disappointed. from where we were a couple of years ago, where we couldn't beat NZ sides at home or away, to being legitimate contendors is a big shift. People talk up the team, and we have some good players, but when you looked at the Highlanders lineup there wasn't huge quality. We're still weak at 2/9/10 (but better than we were); props, loosies, Rieko and Caleb the only real standout areas of strength to me.
I still think we're building to a consistent challenge; decent administration, decent coaching and finally some good talent scouting. I am amused (slightly bitterly) that two of the other 4 starting 9s in SRA were in the Blues mix, and we couldn't get the best out of them.
This year isn't a writeoff, but it'll take osmething special to get to the final. Roll on Trans Ta$man - but the 2 losses in the last 3 weeks will probably scupper our chances of going depe into that comp as well
Edit: the good news is our destiny is still in our hands - both on the field, and in the long term performance of the team. All the attributes are in place we just have to start delivering
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@taniwharugby Entirely predictable, but to me, it doesn't seem enough.
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@mackerzzzz it wasnt pretty, and while I am sure he didnt intend to do what he did, it was an incredibly dangerous action.
I think @Stargazer mentioned in the game thread he expected 6 weeks but reduced to 3.
Hodgman entered a guilty plea and was ruled out of all forms of rugby for three weeks, up to and including May 8 which is the date of the final. Should the Blues not make the playoff, the judiciary reserved its right to revisit the suspension.
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@kiwimurph said in Blues 2021:
No disrespect but if I wore that hair colour people would call me Toilet Duck.
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@nostrildamus pato
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Waikato Rugby
CONGRATULATIONS TO GEORGE AND GIDEON George Dyer - After training with The Blues pre-season, Dyer has been called in this week as replacement cover for the The Blues for the next month. Gideon...
George Dyer - After training with The Blues pre-season, Dyer has been called in this week as replacement cover for the The Blues for the next month.
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Time to flush this series and move on to the trans- Ta$man games.
The obvious problems has been a lack of accuracy, and low on variation, forward based attack that is predictable and fails to use the backs or give them space off quick phase ball or set-piece. Halangahu needs to justify his position here. This all too much like his forward dominated North Harbour game plans. Support lines need some changes. Too often break outs have no supporting runners, with players staying on their wing. I can't believe they don't use Clarke on an inside ball off the scrum.
As far as individual selections go, lets start with the backs.
Ruru is okay coming off the bench but his error rate is pretty high, and more importantly he is often slow to clear the ruck, can be slow getting to the ruck off breaks, and his support play isn't good enough. He also produces a couple of poor box kicks per game. It's time to stick with Nock or Christie as starter.
Black has a decent kicking game and is a skilful player, but not much of a threat running at the line. If he plays they need to use strong carriers running off him, and have an aggressive kick chase. If Barrett is available he starts at 10.
At 12 use Faiane but give Tele'a some time.
Need more variation in how wings are used and selections. Narawa etc deserve a chance.
Perofeta looks pretty stale at 15, a position where there should at least have been some rotation. Sullivan and Kneepkens deserve a chance. Barrett can play there, with Black at 10, if they want to play a kicking game plan.
In the forwards I'd like to see the loose forward mix freshened up, with the possibility of a link player selected. Papalii is quite good there, as is Robinson, and Akira at 8 can offer more than Sotutu in that regard. Maybe Choat a 7 and Papalii at 6. Pity that Hunt can't be tried in that role.
First choice XXIII for TT games:
15 Pick on form, would like to see Sullivan get first go
14 Narawa/Telea
13 Ioane
12 Faiane
11 Clarke
10 Barrett
9 Nock8 Ioane
7 Papalii
6 Robinson/Choat
5 GCT/Pierce
4 Tuipulotu
3 Laulala/OfaT
2 Eklund
1 Hodgman/KarlT23 Tele'a/Sullivan
22 Black/Tele'a
21 Christie
20 Sotutu
19 Pierce/GCT/Darry
18 OfaT/Laulala
17 KarlT/Hodgman
16 Tolai -
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@kiwimurph said in Blues 2021:
Every other nz team plays a fast clearing 9 and a running threat 10.
Blues play a slow clearing 9 and a 10 with next to no running threat.
I think Ruru is bloody quick to the breakdown and excellent at getting it away quick if it's a pick and pop. It's every other option that's the problem.
How good were the blues wingers last year? This year...meh. The difference? 9, 12, 15.
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@bones said in Blues 2021:
How good were the blues wingers last year? This year...meh. The difference? 9, 12, 15.
Just watched the game and thought the Blues 11/14/15 were real poor compared to the Saders. On the plus side, Reiko seems to be developing really well at 13.
