Blues v Force

[Duluth]

CASHMORE LEGACY CONTINUES AT BLUES — Blues Rugby

The Blues are gearing up for Friday night under the lights against the Western Force at Eden Park in Round Seven of DHL Super Rugby Pacific action. Dalton Papali'i will lead the side this week in the absence of Patrick Tuipulotu, forming a formidable loose trio with Akira Ioane and Hoskins Sotutu.

1 Ofa Tu’ungafasi
2 Ricky Riccitelli
3 Angus Ta’avao
4 Josh Beehre
5 Laghlan McWhannell
6 Akira Ioane
7 Dalton Papali’i
8 Hoskins Sotutu
9 Taufa Funaki
10 Harry Plummer
11 Caleb Clarke
12 Corey Evans
13 Rieko Ioane
14 AJ Lam
15 Cole Forbes

16 Soane Vikena
17 Joshua Fusitu’a
18 Marcel Renata
19 Anton Segner
20 Adrian Choat
21 Sam Nock
22 Lucas Cashmore
23 Caleb Tangitau

Players not considered: Sam Darry (knee), Stephen Perofeta (shoulder), Mark Tele’a (ribs), Finlay Christie (groin), Patrick Tuipulotu (concussion protocol), Bryce Heem (concussion protocol), Zarn Sullivan (knee), Rob Rush (calf), Cam Suafoa (sickness), Kade Banks (concussion protocol)

[Duluth]

No lock reserve. Ioane finished there late in an earlier game, I presume he'll be the one that shifts if there's an injury

Good to see Funaki get a start and Cashmore & Tangitau get a run from the bench. I would've like to have seen one of the young midfielders in the 23

A big game for Evans. He's more familiar with 12 but he can't have another high error rate game

[Duluth]

Ben Somerford  /  Apr 2, 2024

Force name debutant as duo return for Blues test in Auckland

Ryan Coxon, Tom Horton, Santiago Medrano, Sam Carter, Thomas Franklin, Tim Anstee, Carlo Tizzano, Reed Prinsep, Nic White (c), Ben Donaldson, Chase Tiatia, Hamish Stewart, Sam Spink, Bayley Kuenzle, Max Burey

Reserves: Ben Funnell, Marley Pearce, Tiaan Tauakipulu, Lopeti Faifua, Will Harris, Ollie Callan, Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, Henry O’Donnell

[Kirwan]

bad timing for suafoa to be sick, I was looking forward to see how he responded to pressure to start

[Tim]

No confidence in James Thompson from the coaches?

[Duluth]

@Kirwan said in Blues v Force:

bad timing for suafoa to be sick, I was looking forward to see how he responded to pressure to start

..and Rush too. Looking at the rest of the matches it's hard to see him getting a run until maybe the Rebels game now. He was injured in the preseason too so he's having bad luck with the timing of his knocks

[Tim]

Cotter has labelled Perofeta the most worrying of his injured clan but also confirmed the shoulder injury is less serious than first thought.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/350233645/super-rugby-pacific-teams-named-round-seven

[Canes4life]

Blues should win comfortably but hopefully they fluff the bonus point so the Canes stay top of the log.

[Kirwan]

No TJ! Blues fans rejoice.

[Kirwan]

Nice League jersey for the Force

[Kirwan]

Lots of kicking

[Machpants]

@Kirwan said in Blues v Force:

Lots of kicking

Yup

[frugby]

This game is the rugby equivalent of terrorism.

[Machpants]

@frugby said in Blues v Force:

This game is the rugby equivalent of terrorism.

You're terrified? I'm bored

[Kirwan]

Force desperately trying to stay in our half

[Machpants]

Force can't hold the scrum

[Kirwan]

Good signs with the scrum

[Duluth]

Lots of metres around the fringes

[Duluth]

Good call. First scrum looked good

[Machpants]

Force have the right tactics to, keep it in blues half with kicks. Cos in their half they're stuffed, blues dominant ball in hand