SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues
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Down on troops and in serious danger of missing the maiden Super Rugby Aotearoa final, Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu has put the heat on his struggling forward pack to front in a defining trip to Christchurch this week.
Tuipulotu will miss a third successive game with a neck/shoulder injury he suffered in the loss to the Chiefs but he was on hand at training on Wednesday as the Blues went through repeated lineouts and opposed scrums to prepare for a torrid tussle with the Crusaders.
"It's not good but it's one of those things you can't put a timeframe on," Tuipulotu said of his injury. "I'm just waiting until it feels right but it's certainly taking it's time. I'm not trying to rush back into anything. I want to get it right."
With stand-in skipper Tom Robinson and Josh Goodhue (both concussion) also sidelined, the Blues are light on leadership and locking stocks for Sunday's match.
Pressure falls on second-rowers Gerard Cowley-Tuioti and 20-year-old rookie Sam Darry, against his former Canterbury teammates, to deliver a much-improved platform.
Second five-eighth TJ Faiane – strangely unused for much of the early season - is expected to fill the captaincy void.Blues hooker Kurt Eklund will return from suspension this week and 19-year-old Soane Vikena, after starring for the under-20s team, could debut from the bench.
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@nogusta said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
@duluth said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
@pakman said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
Blues team I'd like to see:
Big Karl/Apisai/Nepo/Dalton P (c)/GCT/Darry/Akira/Hoskins
I think Eklund is back?
The good oil is that Vikena will be the bench hooker!!
Yep. Tolai playing for northcote this week. Think Shaun Stevenson too
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Will Jordan, Sevu Reece, Leicester Fainga’anuku, David Havili, George Bridge, Richie Mo’unga, Mitchell Drummond, Cullen Grace, Sione Havili Talitui, Ethan Blackadder, Sam Whitelock, Scott Barrett, Michael Alaalatoa, Codie Taylor, George Bower
Reserves: Brodie McAlister, Tamaiti Williams, Oliver Jager, Mitchell Dunshea, Tom Sanders, Bryn Hall, Dallas McLeod, Manasa Mataele
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15 Stephen Perofeta, 14 Mark Telea, 13 Rieko Ioane (c), 12 Tanielu Tele’a, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Harry Plummer, 9 Jonathan Ruru; 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 7 Dalton Papalii (c), 6 Blake Gibson, 5 Sam Darry, 4 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Kurt Eklund, 1 Karl Tu’inukuafe.
Reserves: 16 Soane Vikena, 17 Marcel Renata, 18 Ofa Tuungafasi, 19 Taine Plumtree, 20 Akira Ioane, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Otere Black, 23 AJ Lam
Players not considered with injury: Patrick Tuipulotu (neck), Josh Goodhue (concussion), Jacob Pierce (leg), Tom Robinson (concussion), James Lay (foot). Season-ending: Jone Macalai, Dillon Hunt.
After two narrow losses in the last three games, the Blues are turning inwards for their focus for the Sky Super Rugby Aotearoa match against the Crusaders in Christchurch on Sunday. Blues coach Leon MacDonald believes his side has created sufficient opportunities to prosper but lacked accuracy in implementation and our discipline. “Our focus is on us. It is about us being more accurate so we can take advantage of the chances we are creating. We show it on the training field, and we need to take that focus and that confidence into the game. “We have to front-up at set-piece, be physical but disciplined at the collisions, stay in the contest and trust our skills. At times we make the game look sublime and other times we switch off. “I know and believe that this group can produce a performance that they and our fans can be proud of.” All Blacks Karl Tu’inukuafe and Nepo Laulala start in the front row with Kurt Eklund returning from suspension at hooker with plenty to prove. The experienced Gerard Cowley-Tuioti and Christchurch product Sam Darry are paired again in the middle row with skipper Patrick Tuiopultu will nursing an injury, while skilful Blake Gibson joins All Blacks Dalton Papalii and Hoskins Sotutu in an exciting loose forward trio. The backline is largely unchanged with Harry Plummer starting at first-five and a fully-fit Tanielu Tele’a to add power and thrust to the midfield. With stand-in skipper Tom Robinson unavailable with injury, the captaincy will be shared by Papalii and Rieko Ioane at 23 years and 24 respectively. -
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@bovidae said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
@duluth said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
No TJ is a big surprise. Not listed as injured either
Most expected Faiane to be the captain.
Far out....what a game to get your first start in....(Talea) and Plummer first start at 10
Brand new 10/12 combo against a probable AB combo?
Either a masterstroke or straw clutching
They should've done a better job of rotating/giving guys like Telea/Lam/Narawa/Choat minutes under their belt -
@nogusta said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
@bovidae said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
@duluth said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
No TJ is a big surprise. Not listed as injured either
Most expected Faiane to be the captain.
Far out....what a game to get your first start in....(Talea) and Plummer first start at 10
Brand new 10/12 combo against a probable AB combo?
Either a masterstroke or straw clutching
They should've done a better job of rotating/giving guys like Telea/Lam/Narawa/Choat minutes under their beltAgree, an odd game to make this switch. Will either be a masterstroke, or a a horrible reminder of the awful Tana selection era.
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@kirwan at least Ruru gets another shot, start of some consistency there...
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@taniwharugby said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
@kirwan at least Ruru gets another shot, start of some consistency there...
He's been clearly the best of the 9s, so deserves selection.
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@kirwan said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
@taniwharugby said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
@kirwan at least Ruru gets another shot, start of some consistency there...
He's been clearly the best of the 9s, so deserves selection.
Disagree.
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@kiwimurph said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
@kirwan said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
@taniwharugby said in SRA Round 9: Crusaders v Blues:
@kirwan at least Ruru gets another shot, start of some consistency there...
He's been clearly the best of the 9s, so deserves selection.
Disagree.
Didn't say he was going to be an All Black, but looking at the games this season Ruru is playing better than Finlay. Nock is a distant third at this point.
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@kirwan I understand. My opinion is that it's a self-fulfilling prophecy thing because Ruru gets most of the game time.
Just as an example let's talk about Nock.
Nock started game 1 and got pulled right at halftime. Then played game 2 from the bench.
His only other appearance was the Canes first half (game 5) in which he started and then got benched around halftime.
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