Blues 2019
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@Crucial said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
So the Blues have 3 12s and no 13s. Cool.
Yes it’s a mess
TJ was probably not going to get selected, so they signed Nonu before the NPC.
They were probably planning on picking Manu but the Chiefs got interested.
Then TJ had a great NPC and demanded selectionSo now we have 3 good 12s and 2 unproven 13s
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@Crucial said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
@Duluth said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
@Crucial said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
Given that Faiane has shown great ability at 13 during NPC and SBW has shown nothing at 13 to date but is an AB 12 the 'planning' of Faiane at 12 confuses me.
Faiane was at 12 in the NPC (Manu was the 13). That’s his normal position
My bad. For some reason I recalled people saying he played out of position during NPC.
So the Blues have 3 12s and no 13s. Cool.
Rieko?
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Strangely Manu is listed as a Utility back by the Chiefs but I would imagine that, with ALB being the only 'lock in' in the midfield he sees a better opportunity to be a regular 13 in the Tron. His chances to get regular 13 play in the Blues are pretty low.
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@pakman said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
@Crucial said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
@Duluth said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
@Crucial said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
Given that Faiane has shown great ability at 13 during NPC and SBW has shown nothing at 13 to date but is an AB 12 the 'planning' of Faiane at 12 confuses me.
Faiane was at 12 in the NPC (Manu was the 13). That’s his normal position
My bad. For some reason I recalled people saying he played out of position during NPC.
So the Blues have 3 12s and no 13s. Cool.
Rieko?
Nah. He can move there when he gets older and loses speed.
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@Crucial I think Tele'a will make an impact when he gets an opportunity. The thing with new young 'power' type players at this level is they often try to do too much leading to errors (miracle balls or loosing possession) after breaking or bending the line. That is what made ALB so good as a rookie with his line breaking then accurate option taking and quality passing marking him straight away as an AB prospect. Tele'a is very powerful and holds several Auckland strength records. Time will tell if he has other qualities. I saw that he started the last game on the wing which will help him get a go on the bench if he can cover wing and midfield.
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@Tim said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
Tanielu Tele’a was a key player for NZ U20s, but it's a huge ask for a 20 year old to play well at 13 at Super Rugby level.
I've seen this posted on the Fern before and it's a myth. Tele'a was cited for a late, dangerous tackle and/or strike against an opponent's head in the second game of the tournament and suspended for the remainder of the tournament. He wasn't a key player at all, unless you mean it in a negative way.
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@Daffy-Jaffy said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
@Crucial I think Tele'a will make an impact when he gets an opportunity. The thing with new young 'power' type players at this level is they often try to do too much leading to errors (miracle balls or loosing possession) after breaking or bending the line. That is what made ALB so good as a rookie with his line breaking then accurate option taking and quality passing marking him straight away as an AB prospect. Tele'a is very powerful and holds several Auckland strength records. Time will tell if he has other qualities. I saw that he started the last game on the wing which will help him get a go on the bench if he can cover wing and midfield.
Another GOTJ?
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@Duluth said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
@Crucial said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
So the Blues have 3 12s and no 13s. Cool.
Yes it’s a mess
TJ was probably not going to get selected, so they signed Nonu before the NPC.
They were probably planning on picking Manu but the Chiefs got interested.
Then TJ had a great NPC and demanded selectionSo now we have 3 good 12s and 2 unproven 13s
I know there is a tendancy to paint everything that occured pre-MacDonald as absolute dogshit, including the recruitment for this season...
But even three years removed, you will have a tough time selling me the idea, that the ability to turn out the AB centre combination that played the winning 40 minutes of the last RWC final is somehow a "mess".
Good mess to have IMO.
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@pakman Is it bad that I read 'GOT' as 'Game of Thrones' - yes - April 14 Winter is here. But really what does 'GOTJ' mean?
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@Daffy-Jaffy George of the Jafas.
Oh. Jungle.
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@Bones Ah got it thanks. I guess he meant' George Moala. I read somewhere that he is going really well in France.
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@Daffy-Jaffy haha nah probably not an actual George, although I may be wrong. Thinking...trains like Tarzan, plays like MMac.
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@Stargazer said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
@Tim said in Blues 2019 - (New Head Coach):
Tanielu Tele’a was a key player for NZ U20s, but it's a huge ask for a 20 year old to play well at 13 at Super Rugby level.
I've seen this posted on the Fern before and it's a myth. Tele'a was cited for a late, dangerous tackle and/or strike against an opponent's head in the second game of the tournament and suspended for the remainder of the tournament. He wasn't a key player at all, unless you mean it in a negative way.
I believe he was a key player in the NZ U20s games in the 2018 Oceania Rugby Under 20s comp prior to the World Cup vs Fiji, Tonga and Australia.
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This seems to indicate Apisai is not currently injured - perhaps the injury that made him leave the field in the preseason game v Canes was minor?
Blues hooker fit and raring to go 3:30pm, Wednesday 13 February 2019. By James Perry Former Māori All Black hooker Leni Apisai is feeling fitter than ever and ready to fight for a regular spot in the Blues super rugby season. He has been working hard over the off-season to recover from a knee injury that cut short his Mitre 10 campaign with the Wellington Lions last year and robbed him of any chance of touring with the Māori All Blacks in the USA and South America. "Yeah, nah I'm hissing, eh!" he told Te Kāea, "Probably in the best shape I've been in a while." He credits the strength and conditioning team at the Blues, "they've pushed me during this pre-season and I'm ready to play some footy instead of running some laps." Apisai, originally from Porirua in the Wellington region, joined the Blues last season and is enjoying his second season in Auckland. He's hoping to add to the handful of games he played last year but knows it will be hard behind two experienced hookers in former captain James Parsons and Matt Moulds. "[There's a] great team here, you always want to be a part of a good legacy," the 22-year-old says, "I'll be pushing to get some more game time this year, I got six or whatever but I would've liked to get more and secure a regular spot." The former NZ U20 captain headed north to the Blues last year when the Hurricanes couldn't fit him in to their squad, with Dane Coles, Ricci Riccitelli and Asafo Aumua taking up the three hooking spots. The then-Blues head coach Tana Umaga got in touch with Apisai and told him "they had a spot for me, and that potentially if all goes well and I play some good footy then I could potentially get some decent game time," he says. Despite being only 22, Apisai has a load of experience under his belt, making his Mitre 10 Cup debut as an 18 year in 2014. The Ngāti Awa descendant was selected in the Māori All Blacks in 2016, and while it is unknown what the Māori All Black program for 2019 looks like at this stage, Apisai is keen to push his case for selection again. "But for the moment [I'll] just be focusing on the Blues and get some minutes with the Blues and we'll go from there," he says. -
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