Blues v Highlanders

[Tim]

Early reports indicated that the franchise had at least one player test positive on Thursday evening and by Friday several other cases had been detected.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/300538620/covid-outbreak-hits-blues-ahead-of-super-rugby-pacific-match-against-highlanders

[nzzp]

@antipodean said in Blues v Highlanders:

@tim said in Blues v Highlanders:

So, who is the player the Blues can least afford to lose?

I'd say Christie. Every other player has a reasonable stand in, but the drop to Nock based on recent form is game altering.

I agree

the question isn't who's best, it's where the biggest step down is. I am a massive Nock fan, but he is nowheere near his best form this year.

[Nogusta]

@nzzp I heard Funakis on the bench.
So that means either FC or SN are impacted

[Duluth]

@nogusta said in Blues v Highlanders:

I heard Funakis on the bench.
So that means either FC or SN are impacted

I wanted the Blues to have a look at Funaki soon. MacDonald can be conservative about giving new players game time. So there's a silver lining there

[KiwiMurph]

Funaki looked very raw in his NPC outings so not expecting miracles but hopefully gets some game time and can show some good signs.

[Bovidae]

@gt12 said in Blues v Highlanders:

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it might have been a good idea to have a wider training squad, and probably a rotating WTG ready as backups for teams if they got caught short (or, the ability for teams to call up WTG players from other teams).

I would guess that the SR teams aren't too interested in helping each other, even if it is for the greater good. Netball, which starts this weekend, is doing exactly what you propose by having a shared player pool. One Auckland team has even leant a player to the other so they can play this weekend.

[taniwharugby]

@nogusta unsure where Nock was, but his IG profile had him at a family gathering, if that was at home in KK, it is probably the most infected part of Northland.

[george33]

@taniwharugby I'm hearing Caleb Clarke

[nzzp]

@george33 said in Blues v Highlanders:

@taniwharugby I'm hearing Caleb Clarke

Stuff says mah boy Beaudy. Sad face emoji.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/300538620/covid-outbreak-hits-blues-ahead-of-super-rugby-pacific-match-against-highlanders

[bobily2]

Perofeta to 10?

[KiwiMurph]

It's not his own fault of course but Beaudy has been an absolute dud buy for the Blues

Takes a sabbatical/break in 2020 and plays a handful of games in Super Rugby Aotearoa with mixed results (he was bad vs Crusaders in Christchurch at fullback but excellent at 10 vs Highlanders in Dunedin)

2021 goes to Japan

2022 is injured/covid (so far)

[george33]

@bobily2 bring Corey Evans in at 10 or 12 or bench?

[Tim]

I think young Auckland 10 Jock McKenzie is in the WTG?

[george33]

@tim yip he looks the goods to but probably to early

[taniwharugby]

@tim think he is on loan to Northland, so be good if they get him involved

[bobily2]

Too early for Evans too. I like him, but he hasn't shown anything at NPC level yet.

Perofeta can at least run the attack well. Sullivan can help control the game from fullback.

[george33]

@taniwharugby yes definitely looks great prospect indeed ,not sure bout being loaned to northland tho can u conferm?

[george33]

@bobily2 covid never gave Corey chance at npc level this year hopefully make his impact

[African Monkey]

@kiwimurph On par with SBW.

[taniwharugby]

@george33 just going by what @Steven-Harris has mentioned to me...I expect this early in, Auckland could (and probably will) pull him back before NPC if they wanted.