Blues v Highlanders

[Kiwiwomble]

@friedrugby Ben smith still looks fit.....

i dont think i want to parachute someone in over the top of "fit" options already in the squad only to scrape into 8th....too much pride for that, we play who we have or we sholdnt have selected them

[frugby]

@Kiwiwomble But realistically, Whaanga is a wider squad member already anyway, and Paea is going overseas... if the Crusaders are doing it, why shouldn't we.

Ryan Crotty played in the Japan Top League final 10 days ago, get him in there!

[Kiwiwomble]

@friedrugby because we'll probably get a hiding in the finals, trying to buy our way to 8th just sounds....weak

[frugby]

@Kiwiwomble I hear you, but if we are really talking about going down swinging, then I want to see them explore all their options/take a risk.

[Kiwiwomble]

@friedrugby thats fair, you do you...its just feels like that meme of the guys celebrating with the champagne and it zooms out and he's 3'rd and the other two guys are looking at him...getting in help to fighting our way to 8th!....wa hoo

[Jailbreak7]

@Kiwiwomble 8th is better than 9th....

[pakman]

@friedrugby said in Blues v Highlanders:

@Kiwiwomble Bogado is also still out according to the ODT... which is odd, because he was meant to be back about 6 weeks ago, and he isn't listed on the Highlanders injury list. There must be someone we can parachute in, ala John Afoa.

Calling Charlie Ngatai?!

[Crucial]

@pakman said in Blues v Highlanders:

@friedrugby said in Blues v Highlanders:

@Kiwiwomble Bogado is also still out according to the ODT... which is odd, because he was meant to be back about 6 weeks ago, and he isn't listed on the Highlanders injury list. There must be someone we can parachute in, ala John Afoa.

Calling Charlie Ngatai?!

Well you are after a miracle...

[Kiwiwomble]

@Jailbreak7 if we scraped into the play offs and got a 50 drumming im not sure it is....i wouldn't enjoy that

[Duluth]

Highlanders named to play Blues at Eden Park | Highlanders Rugby Club Limited Partnership

1 Ethan de Groot
2 Andrew Makalio
3 Jermaine Ainsley
4 Pari Pari Parkinson
5 Max Hicks
6 Shannon Frizell
7 Billy Harmon (C)
8 Hugh Renton
9 Aaron Smith
10 Freddie Burns
11 Jona Nareki
12 Sam Gilbert
13 Matt Whaanga
14 Scott Gregory
15 Mitch Hunt

Reserves: 16. Rhys Marshall 17. Daniel Lienert-Brown 18. Saula Ma’u 19. Marino Mikaele-Tu’u 20. Sean Withy 21. Folau Fakatava 22. Connor Garden-Bachop 23. Fetuli Paea

Not Available due to injury: Vili Koroi (knee) Luca Inch (thumb) Marty Banks (groin) Jeff Thwaites (back) Josh Timu (ankle) Jake Te Hiwi (ankle) Fabian Holland (hamstring) Josh Dickson (personal) Martin Bogado (leg) James Lentjes (shoulder) Thomas Umaga-Jensen (calf)

[Duluth]

TELEA MARKS MILESTONE — Blues Rugby

In-form Blues wing Mark Telea is set to play his 50th Super Rugby Pacific match, coinciding with the timely return of Captain Dalton Papalii, as the Blues prepare for a Friday night showdown against the Highlanders at Eden Park. The Gordon Hunter Trophy is also up for grabs on Friday night, with th

1 Ofa Tuungafasi
2 Ricky Riccitelli
3 Nepo Laulala
4 Patrick Tuipulotu
5 James Tucker
6 Tom Robinson
7 Anton Segner
8 Dalton Papalii (C)
9 Finlay Christie
10 Harry Plummer
11 Caleb Clarke
12 Bryce Heem
13 Rieko Ioane
14 Mark Telea
15 Zarn Sullivan

Reserves:
16 Kurt Eklund
17 Jordan Lay
18 Marcel Renata
19 Rob Rush*
20 Akira Ioane
21 Sam Nock
22 Stephen Perofeta
23 AJ Lam

*potential debutant

Players not considered: Beauden Barrett (cut foot), Adrian Choat (shoulder), Sam Darry (arm, season), Alex Hodgman (shoulder, season), Hoskins Sotutu (ABs rest), Tanielu Tele’a (knee)

[Kiwiwomble]

@Duluth ok, not as bad as thought as Gilbert is there

lowe not on injury list but Gregory pick ahead of him, sometimes selections just make you think you see the game completely differently to other people, gregory on the wing ahead of CGB or Lowe just seems weird to me

[Duluth]

Papalii, who slots into a rearranged loose forward trio at number eight, alongside Tom Robinson and Anton Segner, was granted an early return from suspension having completed a World Rugby Coaching Intervention Programme.

Fellow loose forward, Akira Ioane, will come off the bench for the match as part of a personalised All Blacks rest plan while Northland’s Rob Rush is a potential Blues debutant off the bench as well.

[SouthernMann]

I'm sure Caleb Clarke is looking forward to his match up with scott gregory

[Duluth]

Suafoa given a rest? Last week was probably his least effective game.. he's had a big workload in his first year as a regular starter

[Kiwiwomble]

@SouthernMann it very generous of us to help build up his confidence, play him into form ahead of the RWC, get his line break stats up

[frugby]

@SouthernMann Whilst Gregory is undoubtedly crap with ball in hand, at least his edge defence is decent. Garden-Bachop gets toasted defensively on the wing. As for Lowe, not sure his form warrants selection, he has been dreadful.

[SouthernMann]

Still have Lowe for two more years! he certainly landed himself a great deal

[Kiwiwomble]

@friedrugby exactly what i mean, everyone just sees things differently, i see Gregory getting smoked on the wing all the time, just doesnt have the pace to get wide or to catch anyone that gets around him

[Duluth]

In a game earlier this year (v Rebels) Papali'i started at 7 and Segner at 8. They have swapped positions for this one.

I'm pretty sure Papali'i has never started an NPC or SR game at 8?

I wonder if the AB selectors made the suggestion