Blues 2021

[African Monkey]

@Dice I always thought McKay would be worth a punt. Doesn't seem to be any rumours of us getting any outside backs?

[Daffy Jaffy]

@African-Monkey AJ Lam and Jacob Raumaitavuki-Kneepkens have been reported on here as signed. Perofeta, Sullivan and Narawa should cover fullback pretty effectively. One or two Midfield backups for Faiane, Ioane and Tele'a will be interesting with no obvious standout options in the region now that Tua is unavailable.

[Stargazer]

@Steven-Harris said in Blues 2021:

Had it confirmed to me last night that Zarn Sullivan has been signed by the Blues ,.

Good to see another Napier boy getting a SR contract.

[KiwiMurph]

Funny how since Blues have ditched Hanks they have suddenly started making signings that make sense.

[Stargazer]

[nzzp]

@Stargazer that's bloody good news. They are going well as a unit.

[Nepia]

@Stargazer Rangi is clearly on a box or step.

[Bovidae]

A sign of the times when a prop is taller than backs and a loose forward.

[Hooroo]

@Nepia said in Blues 2021:

@Stargazer Rangi is clearly on a box or step.

If he is, he has the shortest and most comical shins I have ever seen.

[Tim]

Time to take a stab at the squad, based on some players possibly being signed early on (e.g. Choat missing out):

Props

Tu'inukuafe
Hodgman
N Mayhew
O Tu'ungafasi
Laulala
Renata

Hookers

Parsons
Eklund
Niuia (may be replaced by Tolai until recovered from injury)

Locks

Tuipulotu
Pierce
Goodhue
Cowley-Tuioti
Darry

Loose forwards

Gibson
Hunt
Papalii
Robinson
Sotutu
A Ioane
Riedlinger-Kapa

Halfbacks

Nock
Christie
Ruru

1st Five Eighths

Black
Perofeta
Plummer
Heighton

Midfield

Faiane
T Tele'a
R Ioane
TBC

Outside Backs

Clarke (may be absent for Olympics Sevens)
M Telea
Narawa
AJ Lam
Raumaitavuki-Kneepkens
Sullivan

Tei Walden may be available for a midfield pick, provided he has recovered from his achilles tendon (?) injury. AJ Lam can cover centre, and possibly Clarke too. Would prefer to see Choat in the loose forwards.

38 players, looks like we had more last year due to cover for Clarke and Barrett, which included Marchant. Also had 8 loose forwards rather than 7, so maybe room for Choat yet.

Out:

Lindenmuth
Mafileo
Carroll
Lamborn
Tucker
Barrett
Marchent
Hyland
Duffie
Page

In:

N Mayhew
Laulala
Darry
Hunt
TBC (midfield)
AJ Lam
Raumaitavuki-Kneepkens
Sullivan

Auckland - 8 forwards, 8 backs, 16 total
North Harbour - 6 forwards, 1 back, 7 total
Northland - 2 forwards, 1 back, 3 total
Counties - 2
BOP - 3
Ta$man - 3
Canterbury - 1
Taranaki - 2

[Tim]

Match XXIII

Big decision over fullback, maybe right wing, but that's about it. Expect plenty of rotation in the forwards

1 Hodgman
2 Eklund
3 Laulala
4 Tuipulotu
5 Pierce
6 A Ioane
7 Papalii
8 Sotutu

9 Nock (MacDonald may favour Christie though)
10 Black
11 Clarke
12 Faiane
13 R Ioane
14 M Telea
15 Sullivan (tight contest with Perofeta)

16 Parsons
17 Tu'inukuafe
18 Tu'ungafasi
19 Cowley-Tuioti/Goodhue
20 Robinson/Gibson/Hunt
21 Christie
22 Plummer
23 T Tele'a

With A Ioane showing he can attack a lineout at test level, there should be a lot of good options on either side of the lineout throw.

Interestingly/sadly, there's only three players in that 23 from the Auckland team that played in the NPC final, and only one in the starting 15.

[Hooroo]

@Tim said in Blues 2021:

Match XIII

Running into Super Rugby 2021 with confidence!!!!

[Tim]

@Hooroo Ha ha! Haven't had my after lunch coffee yet!

[Tim]

MacDonald will unveil a largely settled squad for 2021 this week, though they do have one major hole to fill, with star All Blacks playmaker Beauden Barrett absent on his Japanese sabbatical. Young Auckland fullback Zarn Sullivan is expected to fill the void at fullback, with some help from utility back Stephen Perofeta.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/300171272/super-rugby-blues-bring-back-their-coaching-group-for-another-crack-in-20201

[Tim]

Looking at that Blues squad, our forwards will be hard to beat. Should be able to dominate set piece and the ruck against many teams. The question is how well will the backs be able to use that ball? Black should be able to put the ball into the corners, and force full lineouts, but will we take the most of our chances, reduce errors, and make the right decisions in big games?

[Tim]

With most of the squad known or rumoured now, it's time to take a stab at a prediction, with an allowance for some players possibly being signed early on due to COVID uncertainty (e.g. Choat missing out):

Props

Tu'inukuafe
Hodgman
N Mayhew
O Tu'ungafasi
Laulala
Renata

Hookers

Parsons
Eklund
Niuia (may be replaced by Tolai until recovered from injury)

Locks

Tuipulotu
Pierce
Goodhue
Cowley-Tuioti
Darry

Loose forwards

Gibson
Hunt
Papalii
Robinson
Sotutu
A Ioane
Riedlinger-Kapa

Halfbacks

Nock
Christie
Ruru

1st Five Eighths

Black
Perofeta
Plummer
Heighton

Midfield

Faiane
T Tele'a
R Ioane
TBC

Outside Backs

Clarke (may be absent for Olympics Sevens)
M Telea
Narawa
AJ Lam
Raumaitavuki-Kneepkens
Sullivan

Tei Walden may be available for a midfield pick, provided he has recovered from his achilles tendon (?) injury. AJ Lam can cover centre, and possibly Clarke too. Meihana Grindlay might be a midfield bolter? NZ Schools 2019, NZ U20 training squad 2020. Would like to see Choat in the loose forwards if possible.

That's 38 players in total, looks like we had more last year due to cover for Clarke and Barrett, which included Marchant. Also had 8 loose forwards rather than 7, so maybe room for Choat yet.

Out:

Lindenmuth
Mafileo
Carroll
Lamborn
Tucker
Barrett
Marchent
Hyland
Duffie
Page

In:

N Mayhew
Laulala
Darry
Hunt
TBC (midfield)
AJ Lam
Raumaitavuki-Kneepkens
Sullivan

Provincial breakdown:

Auckland - 8 forwards, 8 backs, 16 total
North Harbour - 6 forwards, 1 back, 7 total
Northland - 2 forwards, 1 back, 3 total
Counties - 2
BOP - 3
Ta$man - 3
Canterbury - 1
Taranaki - 2

Match XXIII

Big decision over fullback, maybe right wing, but that's about it. Expect plenty of rotation in the forwards

1 Hodgman
2 Eklund
3 Laulala
4 Tuipulotu
5 Pierce
6 A Ioane
7 Papalii
8 Sotutu

9 Nock (MacDonald may favour Christie though)
10 Black
11 Clarke
12 Faiane
13 R Ioane
14 M Telea
15 Sullivan (tight contest with Perofeta)

16 Parsons
17 Tu'inukuafe
18 Tu'ungafasi
19 Cowley-Tuioti/Goodhue
20 Robinson/Gibson/Hunt
21 Christie
22 Plummer
23 T Tele'a

With A Ioane showing he can attack a lineout at test level, there should be a lot of good options on either side of the lineout throw. Tuipulotu is good at attacking opposition throws at test level too, with Sotutu demonstrating that ability in SRA this year. Pierce was a standout forward in the NPC, and attacked the opposition lineout well too.

Looking at that Blues squad, our forwards will be hard to beat. Should be able to dominate set piece and the ruck against many teams. The question is how well will the backs be able to use that ball? Black should be able to put the ball into the corners, and force full lineouts, but will we take the most of our chances, reduce errors, and make the right decisions in big games?

Interestingly/sadly, there's only three players in that 23 from the Auckland team that played in the NPC final, and only one in the starting 15.

[taniwharugby]

@Tim looking at the depth of the bench is impressive!

As you say, forwards are impressive, backs will be heavily reliant on the firepower of Rieko & Clarke, and after that things get a bit thinner.

[nzzp]

@taniwharugby said in Blues 2021:

@Tim looking at the depth of the bench is impressive!

As you say, forwards are impressive, backs will be heavily reliant on the firepower of Rieko & Clarke, and after that things get a bit thinner.

really?

Telea, TJ Faiane - no shame in there. Perofeta was coming into his own at 15 ... they're not world beaters, but solid enough

[taniwharugby]

@nzzp i just meant more reliant, didn't say they were shit or anything, plus an injury and it does get thin.

[KiwiMurph]

What's the go with James Little? Could he maybe pick up a midfield spot?