Blues 2021
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Umaga extends his coaching stay with Blues coaching team
Blues defence coach Tana Umaga has extended his stay at the franchise until the end of the 2021 Super Rugby season. This brings Umaga into line with the rest of the Blues coaching group of head coach Leon MacDonald, forwards coach Tom Coventry and backs/skills coach Daniel Halangahu. -
Well, good reward for a really solid season. With the AB naming, we've got TEN Blues in the squad. Remarkable effort considering where we were a year ago, when we had 4 in Black. This is so critical to the long term success -seeing a functional organisation that provides a fun and successful playing environment, and a pathway to higher honours. Been a long long time people, so stoked right now.
the list:
Alex Hodgman (27, Blues / Auckland, new cap)
Karl Tu’inukuafe (27, Blues / North Harbour, 13)
Ofa Tuungafasi (28, Blues / Auckland, 35)
Patrick Tuipulotu (27, Blues / Auckland, 30)
Akira Ioane (25, Blues / Auckland, uncapped, one match)
Dalton Papalii (22, Blues / Auckland, 3)
Hoskins Sotutu (22, Blues / Auckland, new cap)
Beauden Barrett (29, Blues / Taranaki, 84)
Rieko Ioane (23, Blues / Auckland, 29)
Caleb Clarke (21, Blues / Auckland, new cap) -
@nzzp said in Blues 2020:
Well, good reward for a really solid season. With the AB naming, we've got TEN Blues in the squad. Remarkable effort considering where we were a year ago, when we had 4 in Black. This is so critical to the long term success -seeing a functional organisation that provides a fun and successful playing environment, and a pathway to higher honours. Been a long long time people, so stoked right now.
the list:
Alex Hodgman (27, Blues / Auckland, new cap)
Karl Tu’inukuafe (27, Blues / North Harbour, 13)
Ofa Tuungafasi (28, Blues / Auckland, 35)
Patrick Tuipulotu (27, Blues / Auckland, 30)
Akira Ioane (25, Blues / Auckland, uncapped, one match)
Dalton Papalii (22, Blues / Auckland, 3)
Hoskins Sotutu (22, Blues / Auckland, new cap)
Beauden Barrett (29, Blues / Taranaki, 84)
Rieko Ioane (23, Blues / Auckland, 29)
Caleb Clarke (21, Blues / Auckland, new cap)You would think Red Robinson would have gone pretty close if he wasn’t injured too.
Any word on him? Is he out of itm cup this season? -
@nzzp said in Blues 2020:
Well, good reward for a really solid season. With the AB naming, we've got TEN Blues in the squad. Remarkable effort considering where we were a year ago, when we had 4 in Black. This is so critical to the long term success -seeing a functional organisation that provides a fun and successful playing environment, and a pathway to higher honours. Been a long long time people, so stoked right now.
the list:
Alex Hodgman (27, Blues / Auckland, new cap)
Karl Tu’inukuafe (27, Blues / North Harbour, 13)
Ofa Tuungafasi (28, Blues / Auckland, 35)
Patrick Tuipulotu (27, Blues / Auckland, 30)
Akira Ioane (25, Blues / Auckland, uncapped, one match)
Dalton Papalii (22, Blues / Auckland, 3)
Hoskins Sotutu (22, Blues / Auckland, new cap)
Beauden Barrett (29, Blues / Taranaki, 84)
Rieko Ioane (23, Blues / Auckland, 29)
Caleb Clarke (21, Blues / Auckland, new cap)Papalii is now Counties not Auckland. Idiots announced it wrong
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@Crucial said in Blues 2020:
Papalii is now Counties not Auckland. Idiots announced it wrong
Hasn't even played a game for Counties yet has he? Just signed for them.
Went to St Kents too? Not really that idiotic, he's an AKL boy that has sold out. Might as well have gone to Ta$man.
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@Snowy said in Blues 2020:
@Crucial said in Blues 2020:
Papalii is now Counties not Auckland. Idiots announced it wrong
Hasn't even played a game for Counties yet has he? Just signed for them.
Went to St Kents too? Not really that idiotic, he's an AKL boy that has sold out. Might as well have gone to Ta$man.
Yeah I’m not claiming him as home grown or anything just that he is a contracted CM player and NZR got it wrong in their announcement and press.
Laulala was announced as simply ‘Manukau’ as well -
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@Snowy said in Blues 2020:
@Crucial said in Blues 2020:
Papalii is now Counties not Auckland. Idiots announced it wrong
Hasn't even played a game for Counties yet has he? Just signed for them.
Went to St Kents too? Not really that idiotic, he's an AKL boy that has sold out. Might as well have gone to Ta$man.
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@Crucial said in Blues 2020:
@Snowy said in Blues 2020:
@Crucial When he has played a game for you, he can be be Counties (and a turncoat who is dead to me).
I wouldn't mind so much if he wasn't actually good.
Arthur Stone
Arthur Stone
Arthur StoneGFY.
(and yes I laughed).
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@nzzp said in Blues 2021:
Alex Hodgman (27, Blues / Auckland, new cap)
Hodgman is a really good sign. First he was a player returning home. Second plenty of Canterbury fans on the TSF claimed he was no loss.. but he continued to develop at Auckland/Blues and has earned the call up
I see most rugby fans knew he was an AB before he did:
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=12362630
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Lindenmith is going to be cut? Blues seemed to prefer Renata at loosehead this year. Maybe replaced by Jarred Adams?
Experience can't be cited by NZR as the problem, besides a significant number of Mitre 10 Cup Pasifika-eligible players have already been deemed good enough to play in Super Rugby as they have previously held contracts.
On this list would be Nasi Manu, who captained the Highlanders to the title in 2015, Orbyn Leger who has played for both the Blues and Chiefs, Manasa Mataele who was part of the champion Crusaders squad in 2017 and Ezekiel Lindenmuth who was with the Blues last year.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=12371145
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I really don't rate Renata - the guys hands/handling are awful - time and again he makes a handling error. Canes game in Wellington during Super Rugby Aotearoa is a typical example - guess who made the handling error near the end of the match when the Blues were in the Canes half and one more score would have iced the game? Renata.
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@Tim said in Blues 2021:
Lindenmith is going to be cut? Blues seemed to prefer Renata at loosehead this year. Maybe replaced by Jarred Adams?
Experience can't be cited by NZR as the problem, besides a significant number of Mitre 10 Cup Pasifika-eligible players have already been deemed good enough to play in Super Rugby as they have previously held contracts.
On this list would be Nasi Manu, who captained the Highlanders to the title in 2015, Orbyn Leger who has played for both the Blues and Chiefs, Manasa Mataele who was part of the champion Crusaders squad in 2017 and Ezekiel Lindenmuth who was with the Blues last year.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=12371145
paywall
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@Tim is that another that mentions the Vunipolas, Tuilagi, Piutau, Aki etc?
Bet they will be keen for huge pay decreases and aside from Piutau, being unavailable for Eng/Ireland.
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@taniwharugby This one had the Vunipola brothers but not the others. I was only interested in the bit I quoted about Super Rugby contracts.
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@taniwharugby said in Blues 2021:
@Tim is that another that mentions the Vunipolas, Tuilagi, Piutau, Aki etc?
Bet they will be keen for huge pay decreases and aside from Piutau, being unavailable for Eng/Ireland.
So true, just ridiculous. I could see them want to come over next season, as probably more fun than playing in the Championship, and back in time for internationals like Marchant. But they're not going to hang around. I hope, if it is a Pasifika side, you are ineligible to play for the ABs if in it - it will make it more a 'foreign' side as it should be in Fiji or similar
