Blues 2017

Crucial

@African-Monkey said in Blues 2017:

@KiwiMurph Yep hope to see Akira getting more starts now with Luatua chasing the money. Starting to get annoyed at us constantly losing ABs before their prime.

Why would Tana do that if he felt Luatua was the best option to play? Sure, later in the season or against certain teams he may want to invest in the future, but his primary aim is to win games this year, not next.

Dice

First team selection named in two days! Any guesses for shock starters/omissions for our first game?

Michael Collins might be a shock starter. He started at 12 against the Canes in preseason and started at fullback against the Chiefs. He also looked to have played quite a bit of fullback later in the Canes game as well.

Mafileo could be a starter in the first game as well. Looking at one of the pictures posted early in the game against the Chiefs on the Blues twitter, it was Mafileo and Manu who started at prop. They've destroyed both the Chiefs and Canes scrums together so I think there's a high chance they'll give Mafileo a start against the Rebels.

I have a feeling Moala will be a shock omission from the starting line-up. I don't recall him playing in the Canes game and I don't think he started the Chiefs game. He was also in the 10s team, where it was almost all lower half of the roster guys. I hope this doesn't mean much and he's in the starting team.

nzzp

@Dice sure the team isn't named on Thursday

KiwiMurph

Yeah I could see Collins starting at fullback. Looks like Rieko might have played 13 v Chiefs going by photos.

I'm heading along to the game on Thursday night - cannot wait.

Tim

Looks like Faiva started at hooker against the Hurricanes. Anyone know who started against the Chiefs?

Daffy Jaffy

Starting xv v cheifs was

Manu
Moulds
Mafileo
Tupou
Cowley-Tuioti
Luatua
Gibson
Ioane
Pulu
West
Nanai
Francis
Ioane
Duffie
Collins

Tim

This post is deleted!

Tim

@Daffy-Jaffy Cheers. Did you go to the game?

Daffy Jaffy

@Tim No sorry just heard through the grape vine. Scrafton may come in for C-T but he may be injured as he pulled out of the 10's and did not play Friday either. Also depends on how Gibsons knock was. If that is close to the starting team for the Rebels the bench could have some impact. Imagine the likes of Kaino, Charlie, Patrick, Tungafaasi, Faiva, Ranger, Moala, Pryor coming on 2nd half!

Daffy Jaffy

The players who did not play the Chiefs game for various reasons, niggles etc were - Jerome, Royal, Guyton, Nanson, O'Donnell, JP, Perofeta, Patrick, SBW, Prattley.
The strength of that front row is both Mafileo and Manu are so short making them impossible to get under for taller players, plus they both live for scrums.
My concern for this team is the lineout. Short locks, Moulds' dodgy throwing and Faiva's inexperience could cause problems. They will have to make good use of Luatua and Ioane to mix it up against a typically tall and competitive Aussie lineout.

Northlandallday

@Daffy-Jaffy
Royal played v chiefs in the last 25.
Moulds in the front row was the difference in the dominating scrums. When he came on they dominated, when he went off it was even. Just my observation at the situation.

Daffy Jaffy

@Northlandallday OK, good to know Royal is fit coz he came off injured during the 10's. I got that list of non players from the following Blues tweet during the game in response to someone asking who's playing..

‏@BluesRugbyTeam
Shorter list is who isn't playing Jerome, Joe, Billy, Brandon, Declan, JP, Stephen, Patrick, SBW, Pratters

Northlandallday

@Daffy-Jaffy Err, sorry yeah, it was the Canes game Royal came on for the last 25. Royal came off the 10's game, looked like a bit of a limp.

Tim

Interview: Piers Francis talks leaving England and making it in Super Rugby

FEBRUARY 21, 2017

The Blues’ English first-five tells Jamie Wall about his against-the-traffic career move south, the upcoming Lions tour and what it was like being hurdled by Vaea Fifita.

Blues first-five Piers Francis is a unique character in modern rugby: an Englishman who moved to New Zealand to further his career and ended up playing Super Rugby. Since originally relocating as an 18-year-old the former Saracens Academy player has represented Auckland, Waikato and Counties at provincial level, made the Chiefs wider training squad and is now a fully contracted member of the Blues.

I sat down with Piers to talk about his journey from north to south, the upcoming Super Rugby season and a couple of memorable highlights from last season…

JW: How come you ended up in New Zealand?

PF: I came here on a gap year, just eager to pursue professional rugby. Over here is the Mecca of rugby, so it’s a great place to test myself. I went through the New Zealand system – club rugby, academies, age grade and provincial stuff – till I finally made it to where I am now. It’s awesome.

What made you choose here rather than Aussie or South Africa? Did you know people, or did you get some advice? How long did you originally intend to come out here for?

I believed New Zealand was the best place for rugby, not that I’d ever been here. I didn’t really have any contacts other than an old coach of mine who set me up at the Marist club here in Auckland. My parents had some friends who live on the North Shore, but that was it. Originally I’d said I’d be here for a year, but I’d been advised to stay for at least two to really give it a good crack, which in hindsight was the right decision because I made the premier club side and things really started moving in the second year. I got a chance to join the Chiefs wider training squad in 2012, which was the year they won Super Rugby and gave me a spot in the Waikato team.

From there you went back to the UK, but you ended up back here. Why was that?

I believed at the time I wanted to make my mark in the UK, so I signed with Edinburgh. At the time they were playing in Pro12, but I had a tough time there, to be honest. The club was in a little bit of upheaval, the head coaches left within a few months of me getting there. I don’t think I played the best to begin with, then I got injured. I was released and it only seemed natural to come back to New Zealand. It was pretty much like a holiday at first really, just playing club rugby and a bit of Auckland B stuff. But then I struck up a conversation with Tana Umaga who wanted me to play for Counties, which was just what I needed.

Speaking of Tana, let’s hypothetically fast-forward to June. There’s been a horrible injury crisis in the Lions. All their first fives are injured…

Stranger things have happened!

…Tana’s named you in the Blues, but Warren Gatland calls and says ‘mate, we can’t fly anyone out in time, we need you’. What do you do?

Ummmmm… that’s a tough question. The Lions are the pinnacle of a European rugby career, so that’d be very tough to turn down.

That’s a very diplomatic answer. Do you keep an eye on what’s happening in the 6 Nations and the Lions buildup? How about from a Blues perspective, are the team keeping an eye on what’s happening so you know who you’re going to be playing?

Probably not as much as people think I would be. From a team perspective, to be honest, probably not either. There’s a lot of pressure on us in terms of the Super Rugby competition, so we’re taking that game by game. But as it gets closer it’ll build up, this tour will be huge and the momentum will mean we’ll have to start thinking about it.

I have to ask you – if the All Blacks and England played each other this weekend, who would win?

I would be pretty confident in my fellow countrymen to do the job. They are in a good space at the moment.

You played first and second-five last season, but the Blues have made a big addition to their midfield with the signing of Sonny Bill Williams. Does this mean we’re going to see you more at 10 this time around?

Ah, I hope so! Obviously Sonny has an injury so there’s a vacancy in that 12 shirt for the start of the season. We have a lot of firepower in our midfield, but a lot of guys are returning from injuries. So there might be an opportunity there for me, it’s the shirt I finished the last Super Rugby season in.

Going back to the Mite 10 Cup, you were involved in one of the great highlights from last year. What is your recollection of getting hurdled by Vaea Fifita?

(Laughs) Well he’s a big man! My impression of the situation was basically trying to tackle him but then seeing a big boot coming flying towards me, so I ducked and he completely bamboozled me. I think there must be a great picture of me looking behind and wondering what’s just gone on. I remember questioning the touch judge and asking “are we all allowed to jump over one another now?” Anyway, I appreciate his athleticism and the fact that despite making me look a little silly, people watching enjoyed it.

OK, so here’s a highlight that’s a lot more flattering. You were voted Rugby Pass NZ staff’s favourite player for this filthy sidestep against the Waratahs last year. How do you feel about that honour?

Ha, well thanks. I don’t normally receive credit for tries, because I don’t often dot down, but that’s very humbling. I was pretty pleased to get the try having not scored one all season. I did make a meal of it at the end though, probably didn’t need the last half-twirl.

You really broke Nick Phipps’ ankles on that play, and we’ve actually pinpointed that as the moment he turned into a rugby supervillain – spray tanning far too much, throwing people’s boots and shoving medics – how do you feel about that?

Good! It’s always fun to get an Aussie halfback’s knickers in a twist.

Spoken like a true Kiwi. Good luck for the upcoming season!

Cheers mate.

Rancid Schnitzel

@Tim

He's copped a fair bit of shit from some here, but I thought he was very solid last season. He deserves his place.

African Monkey

@Rancid-Schnitzel Yes he did myself included but he did very well in the 12 jersey last season.

nzzp

@Rancid-Schnitzel said in Blues 2017:

@Tim

He's copped a fair bit of shit from some here, but I thought he was very solid last season. He deserves his place.

Agree.

A big step up on Lachie Munro and Jamie Helleur.

taniwharugby

@nzzp said in Blues 2017:

@Rancid-Schnitzel said in Blues 2017:

@Tim

He's copped a fair bit of shit from some here, but I thought he was very solid last season. He deserves his place.

Agree.

A big step up on Lachie Munro and Jamie Helleur.

both of whom seem to be making some decent coin in the NH!

nzzp

@taniwharugby said in Blues 2017:

@nzzp said in Blues 2017:

@Rancid-Schnitzel said in Blues 2017:

@Tim

He's copped a fair bit of shit from some here, but I thought he was very solid last season. He deserves his place.

Agree.

A big step up on Lachie Munro and Jamie Helleur.

both of whom seem to be making some decent coin in the NH!

Yep, good for them

Tim

So a full strength Blues XV is going to be looking pretty damn good this year:

15. Nanai
14. Duffie 
13. R. Ioane
12. SBW
11. Moala
10. West/Francis
  9. A. Pulu
  8. Luatua/Ioane
  7. Gibson 
  6. Kaino
  5. Tuipulotu
  4. Tupou 
  3. Faumaina
  2. Parsons (c)
  1. Manu

The Silver Fern

Blues 2017