Blues 2020
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@taniwharugby said in Blues 2020:
my comments above re 'mentally weak' relate to the fact we were lead to believe Akira knew where he stood, knew what he needed to do, but wasnt able to do what was required and then was distraught when he didnt make the RWC squad?
Sometimes people need a real wakeup call. Aaron Smith, Waisake Naholo - neither shone in the Blues wider training group/team. It took getting dropped to really turn them into stars. You never know, the same may happen to Akira.
I disagree with @Tim; I don't think Steve H went for character assassination (and comparing someone to Jerome makes it pretty clear how highly they regard him). I think he was just frustrated at not getting through, and wanted to try and get the kick up the arse that Akira needed. The worrying thing for me is that Akira has gone backwards in the last few years. He's got all the gifts to be a global superstar, IF he can get his head right. Kind of like Peter Saili, Sione Lauaki ....
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@Toddy said in Blues 2020:
What did Hansen say that was bad? Or was it just that he was singled out?
**"It's the same problem he's always had," said the All Blacks coach. "He came into the season probably not as fit as he could have been, and played every game for the Blues at the same time as trying to get fit.
"He's a tired athlete. Did we see the best of him? I don't think we did in Super Rugby and other people played particularly well and put themselves in front of him."
"We know what's under the surface but we just need him to take ownership of that and turn up and say 'I'm in'. Once he does that I'm sure he'll get selected one day.
"At the moment he hasn't done that. You can only lead a horse to water – you can't make it drink. He's got to decide to get thirsty."**
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oh good, must be nearly super rugby season, we are having the same dumb conversation.
So we may as well all lay out the same shit we have always do.
I would have no problems with what Hansen said, if the then didn't immediately select a bunch of loose forwards with worse levels of performance, or very little performance, making his comments look a tad contrived. And that was over a couple of years.
And, given Fat Steve's selection of loose forwards this year, i would say he had a bit of a blindspot there too.
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https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=12301407
The only injury concern for the Blues was first-five Otere Black, who damaged a rib. MacDonald expected him to be available for the round one encounter against the Chiefs at Eden Park on January 31.
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@Machpants said in Blues 2020:
@Yeetyaah said in Blues 2020:
It's your year Blues fans.
No apparently it's the Tahs year, according to another thread
How could it not be?
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@African-Monkey Ta is he the same size or smaller? Only asking because I’ve never heard of him before
