Blues 2018

[Tim]

@sammyc I think it was noticeable that he didn't go into any tackles running upright.

[KiwiMurph]

@sammyc He certainly looks much fitter and much more certain of what his role in the team is. His discipline has really improved (he still has some niggle in his game but personally I think this is overblown - ive seen every first class game he has played and he has never been penalised for any off the ball stuff - compare that to what Dane Coles has done and it's chalk and cheese). Hopefully he can keep it going as it is a long season.

[Bones]

@kiwimurph pace is a real asset. If he can start throwing in some of those bone jarring hits like Read does I'm sold.

[mimic]

I'm always surprised at how strong he is, because he's not a big unit, and hes not very muscular.

[KiwiMurph]

@mimic not a big unit? What?

[mimic]

@kiwimurph said in Blues 2018:

@mimic not a big unit? What?

He's just tall with some baby fat.

[Tim]

BLUES A TEAM VS HURRICANES

14 MAR 2018

While the Blues are in South Africa preparing to play the Stormers this week, the balance of the squad and some of the regions best talent have come together for the Blues A fixture against the Hurricanes Development team in Wellington this Saturday. The A team started the 2018 campaign with a 26-all draw against the Chiefs two weeks ago.

Matt Moulds, Kara Pryor and Isaac Salmon are fit to play for the first time in 2018, while Harry Plummer, Waimana Riedlinger-Kapa, Scott Gregory, Jack Heighton and Rob Cobb all step up from our Under 20’s side that beat their Hurricanes counterparts two weeks ago.

Former NZ Under 20 prop, Ezekiel Lindenmuth who has been training with the Crusaders and Auckland’s wing/centre Loketi Manu are also new to the squad.

Kick off is at 1pm at Evans Bay. Lineup to be announced later this week.

[KiwiMurph]

BLUES A TEAM VS HURRICANES

Kick off is at 1pm at Evans Bay. The team is:

Ezekiel Lindenmuth
Matt Moulds ©
Isaac Salmon
Ben Neenee
Jacob Pierce
Waimana Riedlinger-Kapa
Kara Pryor
Matt Matich

Lewis Gjaltema
Harry Plummer
Caleb Clarke
Orbyn Leger
Tumua Manu
Loketi Manu
Jordan Trainor

Reserves
Kurt Eklund
Rob Cobb
Jack Straker
Kondo Masaki
Adrian Choat
Jack Heighton
Song Gi Paku
Scott Gregory
Salesi Rayasi
Sione Havili (#26)

[Tim]

Be interesting to hear how Salesi Rayasi goes. IIRC, he was the leading try scorer in Auckland club rugby last year.

[Gunner]

No Tamati Tua.

Played club footy last weekend, then from what I hear cut his hand quite badly while out on the diesel...

[Stargazer]

You can find a quick write-up of the Hurricanes Dev v Blues 'A' game in the Hurricanes thread: http://www.thesilverfern.com/topic/1919/hurricanes-2018/83#

FT: Hurricanes Dev 40 - 19 Blues A (HT: 14 - 7)

[nzzp]

@rocky-rockbottom said in Blues 2018:

my expert pre-season prediction had Blues at 1 and 3 at this stage.
Next pod of matches I had them going 4 and 2.
Then to close off the season, 4 of the last 6 matches vs the Hurricanes and the New England Crusaders OF COURSE A PERFECT TIME TO START COMING INTO SOME FORM TO GEAR UP FOR A RUN AT THE PLAYOFFS. FFS

THIS IS OUR YEAR

@Rocky-Rockbottom and I will be the only blue tinted die hards guzzling lion red, crying into our beards and lamenting the demise of the Greatest Provincial Rugby Team Of All Time (GPRTOAT) and how far the administrators and players of the mighty blue and white hoops have fallen from our glory years.

Could be another long year ... ever win is a false dawn, every light is a train, etc etc etc

[Tim]

Whoever had the tip about Tamati Tui busting his hand was on the money.

[Gunner]

@tim said in Blues 2018:

Whoever had the tip about Tamati Tui busting his hand was on the money.

Yea I got my info from a pretty reliable source

[taniwharugby]

@gunner dumbarse....not you

[Dice]

Tana might have to apologize to the country if he ruins Rieko.

[Dice]

I think the Blues Development team played the Chiefs Development team on Friday, but no team line-up or info on the game has been released.

I saw Papali'i training and catching some balls on the news last week, so the hand seems OK. I wonder if he got some game time with the Development team on Friday.

I'd start Pryor at 7 this week and bring Papali'i on the bench if he's ready.

[Stargazer]

@dice Yeah, according to the ticket direct website, it was the curtain raiser to Chiefs v Highlanders in Hamilton. Really odd there hasn't been any info whatsoever on either the Chiefs or the Blues social media accounts. Maybe one of the Chiefs faithfull who went to the game on Friday knows whether this cutain raiser was indeed played and has more info?

[Bovidae]

I don't arrive early enough to see the curtain-raiser but judging by the condition of the ground (divots everywhere) a game was definitely played beforehand. The match is also listed in the match programme but I have no idea of the team lists or score.

[antipodean]

@rocky-rockbottom said in Blues 2018:

ps another one of my brilliant theories that I just thought of now is i'm starting to think these coaches have fuckall to do with results. what effect do they have? 10%? Colin Cooper is a "better" coach than Tana? iHomo it's down to the senior players in the team, setting a standard that everyone else tries to live up to. See cantabs culture and theri performance over the weekend compared to Blues. Playing for each other and for the good of the team. So young shits come into the team and DO NOT want to let the older players down.
The exact opposite of the lazy, unravelled, rudderless fuckwit tyre fire Blues.
Tana could scream his nuts off all week to those sleepy drongos but without any players in your team you dont give a fuck about letting down its all for nought

This is what I don't understand - the Blues have All Blacks. They know what's required to perform consistently at the highest level.