Blues 2020
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@Nepia said in Blues 2020:
@nzzp said in Blues 2020:
@KiwiMurph said in Blues 2020:
Akira not included
It's a very long way back from here. So frustrating as he's potentially a generational talent. We have to have our systems and processes in place to head this sort of thing off early, and get the best out of our players. It takes a while to get there, but he's showing why it's so important.
/shakes head.
This might actually be beneficial for him in that I assume they're working at getting his fitness up and in contrast with the last two years Rangi isn't going to work him to death. If the Blues are around at the business end this year they could have him at peak fitness.
I think you are right. He's played the most minutes for us for about three years in a row, got played into the ground by Tana (even when he had options) and he's never recovered. From all accounts he was looking fit and in form in pre-season (despite all the bitchy fat comments he gets on here).
Perhaps they are giving him a break to get the best out of him later in the season. They have to avoid doing the same grind to Sotutu (or Dalton) so he's going to get an opportunity.
Be interesting to see a backrow of Dalton, Akira and Sotutu. Get our best players all out there at the same time.
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Who will call the lineouts?
I see MacDonald confirmed that Goodhue is the regular caller (which would explain why he plays so often regardless of form)
Clearly the calling went to shite after his injury last weekMaybe Robinson?
I wonder if they'll move him to 6 this week too to add more options
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@Kirwan said in Blues 2020:
Be interesting to see a backrow of Dalton, Akira and Sotutu. Get our best players all out there at the same time.
I think Sotutu will suffer from what Tom Robinson did last year - lots of minutes is really tough for a first year talent. Takes time for the body and mind to get used to the level of effort.
If they are managing workload, then a break for Hoskins and bringing on a fired up Akira would be great in a few weeks time.
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@Duluth said in Blues 2020:
I see MacDonald confirmed that Goodhue is the regular caller (which would explain why he plays so often regardless of form)
yeah the Northland lineout always functioned better when he is there.
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Blues may have some major work-ons but they've also weathered one of toughest possible starts to Super Rugby
Across New Zealand, the Blues are being tagged as the disappointments of the country – it’s the same old stuff from the Auckland-based side, apparently. But that’s not quite true.
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@taniwharugby said in Blues 2020:
@Duluth said in Blues 2020:
I see MacDonald confirmed that Goodhue is the regular caller (which would explain why he plays so often regardless of form)
yeah the Northland lineout always functioned better when he is there.
Can someone taller than me explain why calling lineouts is considered a specialist skill?
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@antipodean said in Blues 2020:
@taniwharugby said in Blues 2020:
@Duluth said in Blues 2020:
I see MacDonald confirmed that Goodhue is the regular caller (which would explain why he plays so often regardless of form)
yeah the Northland lineout always functioned better when he is there.
Can someone taller than me explain why calling lineouts is considered a specialist skill?
because they are complicated, and require different things at different times. Not all lineout ball is the same. You need to make decisions based on game situation, field position, defensive alignment, what you have thrown at them before, where your mismatches are, where your hooker is strong, or if it's going bad, where you can just win the ball. And that needs a clear head even when tired. If you don't normally do it, it's really hard to just pick up. No matter how many lineouts you have been in, if you don't usually call, it's suddenly really hard when that is on your shoulders.
As with all aspects of rugby, it's probably different at the pro level, but in park footy, a good lineout caller can take the opposition lineout out of the game in the first half.
There is a shit load more to it than walking up and yelling 2! 4! or deciding to maul
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@mariner4life said in Blues 2020:
@antipodean said in Blues 2020:
@taniwharugby said in Blues 2020:
@Duluth said in Blues 2020:
I see MacDonald confirmed that Goodhue is the regular caller (which would explain why he plays so often regardless of form)
yeah the Northland lineout always functioned better when he is there.
Can someone taller than me explain why calling lineouts is considered a specialist skill?
because they are complicated, and require different things at different times. Not all lineout ball is the same. You need to make decisions based on game situation, field position, defensive alignment, what you have thrown at them before, where your mismatches are, where your hooker is strong, or if it's going bad, where you can just win the ball. And that needs a clear head even when tired. If you don't normally do it, it's really hard to just pick up. No matter how many lineouts you have been in, if you don't usually call, it's suddenly really hard when that is on your shoulders.
As with all aspects of rugby, it's probably different at the pro level, but in park footy, a good lineout caller can take the opposition lineout out of the game in the first half.
There is a shit load more to it than walking up and yelling 2! 4! or deciding to maul
Perhaps it would be better to get someone with an intellect to make the call then, like a back.
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@antipodean said in Blues 2020:
@mariner4life said in Blues 2020:
@antipodean said in Blues 2020:
@taniwharugby said in Blues 2020:
@Duluth said in Blues 2020:
I see MacDonald confirmed that Goodhue is the regular caller (which would explain why he plays so often regardless of form)
yeah the Northland lineout always functioned better when he is there.
Can someone taller than me explain why calling lineouts is considered a specialist skill?
because they are complicated, and require different things at different times. Not all lineout ball is the same. You need to make decisions based on game situation, field position, defensive alignment, what you have thrown at them before, where your mismatches are, where your hooker is strong, or if it's going bad, where you can just win the ball. And that needs a clear head even when tired. If you don't normally do it, it's really hard to just pick up. No matter how many lineouts you have been in, if you don't usually call, it's suddenly really hard when that is on your shoulders.
As with all aspects of rugby, it's probably different at the pro level, but in park footy, a good lineout caller can take the opposition lineout out of the game in the first half.
There is a shit load more to it than walking up and yelling 2! 4! or deciding to maul
Perhaps it would be better to get someone with an intellect to make the call then, like a back.
that sentence doesn't make sense.
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@mariner4life said in Blues 2020:
@antipodean said in Blues 2020:
@mariner4life said in Blues 2020:
@antipodean said in Blues 2020:
@taniwharugby said in Blues 2020:
@Duluth said in Blues 2020:
I see MacDonald confirmed that Goodhue is the regular caller (which would explain why he plays so often regardless of form)
yeah the Northland lineout always functioned better when he is there.
Can someone taller than me explain why calling lineouts is considered a specialist skill?
because they are complicated, and require different things at different times. Not all lineout ball is the same. You need to make decisions based on game situation, field position, defensive alignment, what you have thrown at them before, where your mismatches are, where your hooker is strong, or if it's going bad, where you can just win the ball. And that needs a clear head even when tired. If you don't normally do it, it's really hard to just pick up. No matter how many lineouts you have been in, if you don't usually call, it's suddenly really hard when that is on your shoulders.
As with all aspects of rugby, it's probably different at the pro level, but in park footy, a good lineout caller can take the opposition lineout out of the game in the first half.
There is a shit load more to it than walking up and yelling 2! 4! or deciding to maul
Perhaps it would be better to get someone with an intellect to make the call then, like a back.
that sentence doesn't make sense.
Because you're a forward.
How does a team not know their hooker can't throw to the back etc.?
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The Blues A Team will be coached by Auckland Mitre 10 Cup Coach Alama Ieremia. He will be supported by Blues Scrum Coach Ben Afeaki with Paul Gianotti to manage, and Harley Matthews will provide physio support for both sides
https://blues.rugby/blues-development-team-schedules-released/
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@Tim fantastic stats for Hoskins..these are the sort of stats I think we all wanted to see from Akira..physically he ticks so many boxes, I really do hope he can find an attitude shift , seems like such a waste ..I do wonder if it’s time for Akira to move out of Auckland .
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@Steven-Harris said in Blues 2020:
these are the sort of stats I think we all wanted to see from Akira..
Akira was top 3 in plenty of stats in previous seasons.
I think Akira is not playing for the same reason Robinson is not starting.
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@Toddy said in Blues 2020:
why's that? Managing players through a long season? Could be a stroke of genius if Leon pulls it off.
That's my guess. Hoskins form has probably made the rest longer
Last year Akira played all but 40mins and sucked in the last month. Robinson faded in the last few weeks too. Guys like Sotutu and Papali'i were massively underused.
MacDonald talked about how workload management was one of the biggest screw ups he made.After the SA tour would be a good time to give Sotutu a rest. This is his first year getting decent minutes at this level (like Robinson last year)
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@Duluth said in Blues 2020:
@Steven-Harris said in Blues 2020:
these are the sort of stats I think we all wanted to see from Akira..
Akira was top 3 in plenty of stats in previous seasons.
I think Akira is not playing for the same reason Robinson is not starting.
Lol no its not. Akira is fat. Needs to get fit before gets back in the squad
Is he playing club rugby or anything while Blues are away?
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No mention of any defensive numbers in those stats. Akira would rack up good runs as well but it was the ruck attendance and defensive positioning stats that held him back. Too often not where he needed to be (or inconsistent at that aspect through a game)
However, I don't buy into the talk that he has been dropped. I think the coaches are trying a different approach with him this year. I also don't think he is fat/unfit unless he was absent from all of that pre-season stuff. I think he has been deliberately given a longer lead in to try and have him peaking when they need him too be rather than fading through overwork.
Sotutu has been very good and together they will make a good one/two punch.
There was going to be little gained in the first few weeks with such a tough early draw but much can be gained and momentum built through the middle of the season for the Blues to get a run on. 7 out of their last 10 games are quite winnable as long as they haven't dug a huge hole through lack of confidence and injuries early on.
