Blues 2022
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@nzzp said in Blues 2022:
@machpants said in Blues 2022:
@dolamite said in Blues 2022:
@machpants not sure, just got the members email telling all those interested to register
Here's hoping for the Whangarei game!
They said in the email it wasn't going ahead
Damn COVID
Fuck wank burgers. But makes sense if no crowds and they can get a thousand or whatever (plus boxes) at Eden Park
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@taniwharugby sorry, from yesterday
Blues Northland Fixture Update 2022
The continued covid restrictions have forced us to cancel plans to take a DHL Super Rugby Pacific match to Whangarei.
With the wonderful support of Northland Rugby Union and Whangarei District Council, we were planning our DHL Super Rugby Pacific clash against the Highlanders to be played at Semenoff Stadium on the 11th March.
The Blues and the team are bitterly disappointed but under the current Covid red light restrictions, it is not possible to stage the match and planned community activity safely with Northland fans.
“We are disappointed. Our aim was for the Blues players to connect with the Northland community and give back to our Northland fans. As always, the health, welfare and experience delivered to our fans is a key priority. The Blues believe that as the current Omicron continues to surge, it doesn’t allow us to fulfil our key priorities and connect with the community.” said Andrew Hore, Blues CEO
We won’t be turning our backs on Northland – and will begin discussions with partners to return with a bigger and brighter experience in 2023.
“We want to go on record to express our appreciation to Northland Rugby Union, Northland District Council and the team at Semenoff Stadium for their support and understanding.”
We are now in planning for the venue for this fixture which will be announced shortly.
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Ranked: The best (and worst) Blues coaches of all time
Pat McKendry ranks the 10 Blues coaches from the start of the competition in 1996.
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@daffy-jaffy those two just look so wrong in Blue haha. Good banter though, I reckon Riccitelli joining the Blues was purely a golf decision.
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@canes4life said in Blues 2022:
Good banter though, I reckon Riccitelli joining the Blues was purely a golf decision.
I'll be interested to see if Soane Vikena puts some pressure on Riccitelli this year. Vikena has barely played any top class rugby but has really flashed in his few opportunities for Auckland and the Blues. Still just a pup too (20 years old).
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@kiwimurph I haven't seen much of Vikena tbh but he was a beast for the Blues under 20s last year. No need to rush him, I'm sure he'll get plenty of minutes off the pine this year.
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@tim I've never seen anything from riccitelli for me to think he is above mitre10
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@muddyriver If he was supposed to there for on field experience or leadership, then it wasn't easy to see.
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He missed the original tackle on Jules that got the Canes well out of their 22 and going forward.
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@muddyriver Riccitelli doesn't have a high ceiling but he does have the odd game where he absolutely rips into things. I think he's one of those guys you kind of have to make angry before the game starts. He does his core roles well but he's probably more Owen Franks than Dane Coles when it comes to mobility. He's definitely good enough to be a third choice hooker
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@canes4life so someone needs to disrespect his name...
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@canes4life said in Blues 2022:
He's definitely good enough to be a third choice hooker
I've been saying for a few years that we don't have enough SR quality hookers in NZ. The 5 NZ sides need 15 hookers, we have ~10 goodish ones
So yeah he's probably good enough to be the third hooker in a squad but that isn't a high bar
The issue at the moment is he's the Blues 2nd hooker. I'll be a lot happier when Vikena passes him in the rankings and Riccitelli is out of the match day 23
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@duluth said in Blues 2022:
@canes4life said in Blues 2022:
He's definitely good enough to be a third choice hooker
I've been saying for a few years that we don't have enough SR quality hookers in NZ. The 5 NZ sides need 15 hookers, we have ~10 goodish ones
So yeah he's probably good enough to be the third hooker in a squad but that isn't high bar
The issue at the moment is he's the Blues 2nd hooker. I'll be a lot happier when Vikena passes him in the rankings and Riccitelli is out of the match day 23
I find it pretty surprising that we have such a huge focus on scrums but (seemingly) less on line outs, and especially throwing etc. Is there a high performance coach for lineouts / 2s?
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@chris-b said in Blues 2022:
@tim An amusing idea by McKendry. I can't read it and had to refer to Wikipedia to recall all 10. I'd guess something like:
Henry
Sloane
Hunter
MacDonald
Lam
Nucifora
Umaga
Kirwan
Oliver
RowlandsUmaga too high, statistically one of the worst if not the worst.
