Blues 2021
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@snowy Ioane is like Laumape for the Canes. They are both attacking minded and weapons in their own right but when they have been asked to step up in the ‘thinking’ department of their respective games I think they have fallen short. But hey, with the injuries at play they may both yet start for the All Blacks which would be a fairly interesting combination to say the least.
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@canes4life said in Blues 2021:
@snowy Ioane is like Laumape for the Canes. They are both attacking minded and weapons in their own right but when they have been asked to step up in the ‘thinking’ department of their respective games I think they have fallen short. But hey, with the injuries at play they may both yet start for the All Blacks which would be a fairly interesting combination to say the least.
Tough to defend against them both, on the other hand I wouldn't be convinced about our defence.
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@nzzp said in Blues 2021:
Seriously, though, I think Rieko's B+ and knocking on the door of the ABs. He brings solid defence and a speed opportunity that is rare. He's on the way up. Distribution took a step up again, and I'd say is one of the easier things for a good coaching group to keep improving. If you have to trade off an inexperienced 12 or 13 at the top level, I prefer ALB/RIoane to Havili/ALB... but ultimately it's up to the coaches.
Good summary. I think those three players will be in the 23. Havili/Ioane would also work but there's no way ALB misses out on starting
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@duluth agreed, ALB needs to start at centre. Whether they go with the all round game of Havili or the power of Laumape remains to be seen. I expect injuries to still play their part before the ABs even take the field.
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I am a Rieko fan, in fact I am beginning to think he is almost as good athlete as I was, but I agree with those who say he is not a good passer. Yet. Physically he has the skills, but he is still short of having the passing smarts that the AB 13 jumper deserves. Too many times this season have I seen him pass when he shouldn't and not pass when he should.
He is very similar to Ennor. But better.
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I think the bigger issue with Reiko's game that is more likely to get exposed at Int level is on defence, I think his pace and option taking on attack would be fine, but defence is much harder to get sorted at the next level.
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@taniwharugby said in Blues 2021:
I think the bigger issue with Reiko's game that is more likely to get exposed at Int level is on defence, I think his pace and option taking on attack would be fine, but defence is much harder to get sorted at the next level.
Yes his defence is more likely to be a problem than his attack. However he's defended well when partnered with an experienced 12 (TJ at the Blues and ALB & Goodhue at a higher level last year)
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So the Blues really need a good 12.
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The Blues should pick TJ when he’s fit
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@duluth and I think Reiko has shown he can adjust to a different defence pattern although, we know the mid-field is a tough place to defend, whereas I see Laumape more as a lone ranger type and seems to go missing a bit.
This is why I thnk the AB coaches tried to shoe horn Goodhue, as he is pretty strong defensively, and his defence at 12 wasnt really the issue, so obviously will be a good foil to whoever they slot in alongside him.
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@canes4life said in Blues 2021:
@gt12 obviously he passes the ball, what I’m getting at is the effectiveness of his passes and setting up players around him, most importantly his wingers. The fact that Caleb Clarke (one of the most destructive wingers in the game at the moment) hasn’t really made a mark on this competition through lack of ball tells me something.
Do you think Clarke went alright last year with Rieko inside him?
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@nzzp said in Blues 2021:
@canes4life said in Blues 2021:
@gt12 obviously he passes the ball, what I’m getting at is the effectiveness of his passes and setting up players around him, most importantly his wingers. The fact that Caleb Clarke (one of the most destructive wingers in the game at the moment) hasn’t really made a mark on this competition through lack of ball tells me something.
Do you think Clarke went alright last year with Rieko inside him?
Thanks for that Mr Mexted.
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@gt12 said in Blues 2021:
@nzzp said in Blues 2021:
@canes4life said in Blues 2021:
@gt12 obviously he passes the ball, what I’m getting at is the effectiveness of his passes and setting up players around him, most importantly his wingers. The fact that Caleb Clarke (one of the most destructive wingers in the game at the moment) hasn’t really made a mark on this competition through lack of ball tells me something.
Do you think Clarke went alright last year with Rieko inside him?
Thanks for that Mr Mexted.
As you know, I've been pumping Ioane for some time now
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@duluth said in Blues 2021:
The Blues should pick TJ when he’s fit
I thought he was, but Leon seems to have gone off him.
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@nogusta said in Blues 2021:
So with Clarke heading off to the Mount now - who out of Narawa/Lam/Kneepkens/Heem should get first crack for the SR TT!?
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"My biggest nerves weren't around Japan or how Covid was going to go; it was more how the year went with the Blues this year. I wasn't as excited as when I first made the call to come to sevens. I felt like I wasn't playing my best; I was holding too many injuries and I didn't feel like myself during the 2021 Super season. That's where a lot of the nerves came from. Now I'm here it's a lot clearer that I'm excited to be back with all the boys."
Clarke revealed he tore several ankle ligaments in the Blues' opening match of the season against the Hurricanes on February 27. He played the next four matches before an MRI scan during the Blues' second bye week in April confirmed the extent of the injury.
"I spent the first bye week on crutches and then I was on heaps of anti-inflammatories to get my ankle running," Clarke said.
"I went through about four or five games and then they were like 'oh you tore some ligaments'. That was frustrating. The other part was the second year I didn't think it was going to be as hard as it was – trying to get off my wing and look for work and being pointed out by every team. That kind of stuff was really hindering. I don't feel like I got to show what I had in 2021
"We had a sevens training last Thursday and that was the first time I ran around without strapping on my ankle."
Caleb Clarke reveals Blues frustration - and playing with serious injury
