Blues 2023
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All Blacks will probably be absent for quite a few games this year? Although Tuipulotu has been training with team earlier than other ABs, so he might be available for the full season.
What would a Blues team look like without ABs, but with Tuipulotu there?
1 Hodgman
2 Eklund
3 Renata
4 Tucker/Darry/Robinson
5 Tuipulotu
6 Robinson/Suafoa/Plumtree
7 Choat/Segner
8 Suafoa/Plumtree/Segner
9 Nock
10 Plummer/Sullivan
11 Lam
12 Tele'a/Evans
13 Heem
14 Kneepkens/Tele'a
15 Sullivan/Kneepkens/McKenzie16 Vikena
17 James Lay/Fusitua
18 James or Jordan Lay/Ahio?
19 Darry/Tucker/Robinson
20 Segner etc
21 Funaki
22 McKenzie
23 Evans etcHalfback and First Five suffer a lot, as would tighthead prop. Loose forwards not too bad with three ABs out. Would like to see Funaki develop to be ahead of Nock this year. Also Vikena overtaking Eklund. Obviously staggering AB absences will be important. e.g. Barrett/Perofeta, and Tu'ungufasi/Laulala.
Two more questions:
Will Barrett play 15?
Will Tu'ungufasi play loosehead?
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@Tim said in Blues 2023:
All Blacks will probably be absent for quite a few games this year?
I read somewhere that the rule is, the AB players are not allowed to play more than 5 games in a row.
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Thanks dude.
I guess with their post EOYT break and the AB training camp, they'll be coming back into fitness a bit later too?
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@Tim ridiculous that someone like Perofeta has to sit out any super rugby after his massive workload in the ABs.
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@taniwharugby The question is whether all ABs are subject to these rest rules to the same degree. I could imagine Perofeta and RTS being allowed to play more games than - say - BB and Rieko.
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Caught up with former All Black Alister Robinson at the just completed NZ Waka Ama Club Sprints held at Lake Karapiro .
Alister gave me a great update on Tom , many of us were worrried during the NPC especially in and around his unavailabilty for the Taniwha in last years Bunnings NPC there was much speculation that Tom may have to pull the pin with head knocks symtoms constantly being mentioned , talking to Alister the news is all good, Tom had a ruptured ear drum which at the time which was’nt diagnosed , he has since had an operation is back to 100% . -
@Steven-Harris Mate that is the kind of news we want to hear!
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@Tim said in Blues 2023:
All Blacks will probably be absent for quite a few games this year? Although Tuipulotu has been training with team earlier than other ABs, so he might be available for the full season.
What would a Blues team look like without ABs, but with Tuipulotu there?
1 Hodgman
2 Eklund
3 Renata
4 Tucker/Darry/Robinson
5 Tuipulotu
6 Robinson/Suafoa/Plumtree
7 Choat/Segner
8 Suafoa/Plumtree/Segner
9 Nock
10 Plummer/Sullivan
11 Lam
12 Tele'a/Evans
13 Heem
14 Kneepkens/Tele'a
15 Sullivan/Kneepkens/McKenzie16 Vikena
17 James Lay/Fusitua
18 James or Jordan Lay/Ahio?
19 Darry/Tucker/Robinson
20 Segner etc
21 Funaki
22 McKenzie
23 Evans etcHalfback and First Five suffer a lot, as would tighthead prop. Loose forwards not too bad with three ABs out. Would like to see Funaki develop to be ahead of Nock this year. Also Vikena overtaking Eklund. Obviously staggering AB absences will be important. e.g. Barrett/Perofeta, and Tu'ungufasi/Laulala.
Two more questions:
Will Barrett play 15?
Will Tu'ungufasi play loosehead?
That is still a strong match day squad. Great to see our depth coming through.
I suspect Beaudy will play 10 & interchange with Perofeta. Actually helps Stevie IMO being able to alternate seamlessly between the two. He’s battling Damian McDonald for a place in RWC as it’s hard to see AB’s taking both.
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@TheMojoman said in Blues 2023:
He’s battling Damian McDonald for a place in RWC as it’s hard to see AB’s taking both.
If both are fit DMac easily beats out Perofeta. Perofeta has barely played for the ABs (and played poorly when he did). DMac's experience easily takes it.
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@TheMojoman said in Blues 2023:
@Tim said in Blues 2023:
All Blacks will probably be absent for quite a few games this year? Although Tuipulotu has been training with team earlier than other ABs, so he might be available for the full season.
What would a Blues team look like without ABs, but with Tuipulotu there?
1 Hodgman
2 Eklund
3 Renata
4 Tucker/Darry/Robinson
5 Tuipulotu
6 Robinson/Suafoa/Plumtree
7 Choat/Segner
8 Suafoa/Plumtree/Segner
9 Nock
10 Plummer/Sullivan
11 Lam
12 Tele'a/Evans
13 Heem
14 Kneepkens/Tele'a
15 Sullivan/Kneepkens/McKenzie16 Vikena
17 James Lay/Fusitua
18 James or Jordan Lay/Ahio?
19 Darry/Tucker/Robinson
20 Segner etc
21 Funaki
22 McKenzie
23 Evans etcHalfback and First Five suffer a lot, as would tighthead prop. Loose forwards not too bad with three ABs out. Would like to see Funaki develop to be ahead of Nock this year. Also Vikena overtaking Eklund. Obviously staggering AB absences will be important. e.g. Barrett/Perofeta, and Tu'ungufasi/Laulala.
Two more questions:
Will Barrett play 15?
Will Tu'ungufasi play loosehead?
That is still a strong match day squad. Great to see our depth coming through.
I suspect Beaudy will play 10 & interchange with Perofeta. Actually helps Stevie IMO being able to alternate seamlessly between the two. He’s battling Damian McDonald for a place in RWC as it’s hard to see AB’s taking both.
It's pretty unlikely that Rangi would rest all test players at same time isn't it? Be fairly poor coaching if he does.
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The Saturday 11/02 pre-season game v Canes that could not be played at Mahurangi Rugby Club due to pitch damage is now at Waitamata RFC.
The second game is v Chiefs at Pukekohe Friday 17/02. -
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'We blew it' - Papali'i still haunted by Super Rugby final defeat
Blues captain enjoyed a good All Black campaign as Sam Cane's replacement and then a refreshing break, but the events of last June are not forgotten.
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