Blues 2019
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I must say Apisai has improved this year - admittedly he started from a very low base - he was not Super standard last year but has been much better this year. He had good impact off the bench last week including being part of that huge scrum under the own Blues posts and nailing the final lineout throw for the bonus point try.
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When the weather is a bit damp, there’s heaps of grip on the ball, it makes throwing a shit load harder. Harris also had one not straight anda bunch of line out ball got attacked by Blues.
What Steve said is absolutely true. If Moulds had more game time and remember he’s not even been on the bench for the last couple of weeks he would’ve been more match hardened. His tackles were strong, clean outs solid.
What I like is his ability in the tackle to present really good ball.
Moulds deserved more game time than he’s had. Apisai is playing well at last he’s got his future on the line. -
@Steven-Harris said in Blues 2019:
@Kirwan I actually thought Moulds scrummed well, did not get ragged dolled at tackle time, and made his tackles..2 errors one a throw in, and one where he should have dived on the ball but elected to pick it up but knocked it on..that does not constitute a bad game in my opinion..
I have seen Parsons have 2 absolute shocking games in a row against the chiefs and the Highlanders this year where he got rag dolled but that’s norm ,side entry infractions, missed tackles and offside penalties ..
Just seems to me there are players that are well supported on this forum that can make 2 or 3 errors in a game but the never get put under the same spotlight..
I personally think if the Blues has eliminated some of their errors by 20% Saturday nights game would have been won much more comfortably..
I think it’s a very fair question to ask.You're talking Parsons? Not seeing too much defending of him. He's pretty much universally regarded as hard working but NPC level at best from what I see on here.
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@Steven-Harris Moulds was pretty good. Disappointing that some can’t acknowledge this. In a game that saw a shit load of mistakes all over the park his two mistakes were relatively unimportant and he was constructive around the field. Just to remind some of you of other more critical mistakes that let the pressure off...Akira dropping the ball from an uncontested attacking lineout, Faiane running away from his support and knocking the ball on in multiple attacking situations, Plummer who was quite good but can’t kick goals, Ruru who is slow and couldn’t execute his box kicks, Tuipulotu’s non tackle on the fast running elusive Ta’avao, Nonu who turned into traffic at every opportunity (AB discussions must be over) Rieko who decided passing on his goal line under pressure was a good idea. The only reason the Blues won was because the Chiefs are a broken team. This was a game between the also-rans. For all their endeavours, most of the Blues important mistakes on Saturday came from their so called leaders.
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@kev said in Blues 2019:
@Steven-Harris Moulds was pretty good. Disappointing that some can’t acknowledge this. In a game that saw a shit load of mistakes all over the park his two mistakes were relatively unimportant and he was constructive around the field. Just to remind some of you of other more critical mistakes that let the pressure off...Akira dropping the ball from an uncontested attacking lineout, Faiane running away from his support and knocking the ball on in multiple attacking situations, Plummer who was quite good but can’t kick goals, Ruru who is slow and couldn’t execute his box kicks, Tuipulotu’s non tackle on the fast running elusive Ta’avao, Nonu who turned into traffic at every opportunity (AB discussions must be over) Rieko who decided passing on his goal line under pressure was a good idea. The only reason the Blues won was because the Chiefs are a broken team. This was a game between the also-rans. For all their endeavours, most of the Blues important mistakes on Saturday came from their so called leaders.
Interesting to note that those players you singled out above are also players that have, in the past, be cited as examples of poor team selection by the coach if they weren't used.
Maybe the coaches see error rates at training? -
@Crucial said in Blues 2019:
@kev said in Blues 2019:
@Steven-Harris Moulds was pretty good. Disappointing that some can’t acknowledge this. In a game that saw a shit load of mistakes all over the park his two mistakes were relatively unimportant and he was constructive around the field. Just to remind some of you of other more critical mistakes that let the pressure off...Akira dropping the ball from an uncontested attacking lineout, Faiane running away from his support and knocking the ball on in multiple attacking situations, Plummer who was quite good but can’t kick goals, Ruru who is slow and couldn’t execute his box kicks, Tuipulotu’s non tackle on the fast running elusive Ta’avao, Nonu who turned into traffic at every opportunity (AB discussions must be over) Rieko who decided passing on his goal line under pressure was a good idea. The only reason the Blues won was because the Chiefs are a broken team. This was a game between the also-rans. For all their endeavours, most of the Blues important mistakes on Saturday came from their so called leaders.
Interesting to note that those players you singled out above are also players that have, in the past, be cited as examples of poor team selection by the coach if they weren't used.
Maybe the coaches see error rates at training?What?
There was an article by RugbyPass a week or so ago citing that Faiane had among the lowest error rate in the comp for a midfielder. He made errors against the Chiefs but it was one game.
Plummer had a great game around the field. Sure his goal kicking needs work and he has a tendancy to get charged down but he's a 20 year old rookie ffs. The exciting thing is there looks to be plenty to work with.
Ruru - whilst he has his weaknesses - was still a huge improvement on Pulu's shocking effort the week prior v Canes.
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JK accidentally confirmed on Breakdown tonight that Scrafton is off to the Hurricanes next season. Which is annoying as he was obviously to me the best 5 lock in the squad. Sadly injuries and coach preferences for the too soft Goodhue and the too short C-T early on meant he did not get a chance to prove it till now. The question for next year now is who to replace him. Young Jacob Pierce is in the squad but always injured and hardly even plays for Harbour so its hard to judge if he is up to it. My hope would be that they are chasing Olmstead. James Tucker from Waikato was with them briefly preseason and I would be fine with picking him up. I rate young Jamie Lane from Ponsonby but need to see him play more rep rugby. He has signed for Auckland. Signing Scrafton and Laupepe for next year will give the canes a bit more size and steel in the middle row.
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@Daffy-Jaffy I wonder if Pari-Pari Parkinson is heading north?
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@Tim That would be nice but doubtful. Also maybe Whetton might be looking for more game time?
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@Daffy-Jaffy They chose Jacob Pierce instead of Scrafton so they must see something in him, or is it a case of poor recruitment from the Blues again? From what I've seen of Lane, he looks a bit soft to me. Needs a big Mitre 10 Cup.
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@African-Monkey Someone said on here that Scrafton wanted to move in search of more game time, rather than them choosing Pierce over him (they already had both in the squad). Coventry rarely played Pierce for Harbour prefering to use C-T or with young Danny Drake (who trained and played with the Blues preseason so must also be in the picture for next year, i'd forgotten about him). They inherited Pierce from Tana/Hanks so he may even be cut for Drake or another? Jamie Lane appears to have bulked up a lot this season and is looking more physical to me, admittedly only at club level so far. ( I follow Ponsonby).
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If true he could be another Fatialofa type that Auckland let get away - helped us win a Championship too
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@Canes4life
It’s true and he will be an absolute asset. -
@Daffy-Jaffy It was me and it came from a good mate of mine who is the manager for his club team who was talking to his grandad. Now that you put it that way it does sound a bit strange haha but he mentioned Jacob Pierce being given a contract/Scrafton being annoyed at a lack of game time so I might have to ask him again haha.
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@African-Monkey once again you have got to ask some serious questions, I mean to say we all saw a sample bite of how good Scrafton was last year..
Should have been locked in.
On an upside not I have been informed there is going to be a review shortly from the Blues in and around high performance and the high performance role...this is gonna be interesting..!
