Blues 2023
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An unusual middle of the season for the Blues, they don't play another NZ side for 6 weeks (4 games plus the bye)
Not certain victories of course but it's a good chance to tinker with selections and/or play a couple of people into form
The away game to the Drua stands out. Although teams like the Crusaders and Rebels have showed us how not to play. Also the Blues will be unlikely to rest players (more likely the following week vs Pasifika)
During this period the other NZ sides have a few clashes with each other (Chiefs 3 NZ matches, Canes 2, Crusaders 1 & Highlanders 2)
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There's a selection squeeze coming up around the locks and loosies
Darry looked physical on his return from injury. Patrick will start the big games. Suafoa and Tucker have gone well while they other two have been injured. Suddenly there's some options at lock
In the loosies Akira will return shortly
So the starting locks and loosies in the top xv?
4 Tuipulotu
5 Darry
6 Ioane
7 Papali'i
8 SotutuI think Suafoa has done enough to be the lock reserve, plus he covers 6/8
Choat or Segner for 7 reserve is a close call. Choat slightly better IMO but Segner gives better bench coverage
That would mean Tucker, Robinson, Choat, Plumtree missing out on the 23 for the big matches
I'm sure some will argue for Robinson but it's hard to see where he fits? Particularly when he's signed offshore and others are playing well. Also, it's hard to argue for his experience after the brain explosion penalty on the weekend
If/when the Blues opt for a 6/2 I'd add Robinson in
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@Duluth said in Blues 2023:
There's a selection squeeze coming up around the locks and loosies
Darry looked physical on his return from injury. Patrick will start the big games. Suafoa and Tucker have gone well while they other two have been injured. Suddenly there's some options at lock
In the loosies Akira will return shortly
So the starting locks and loosies in the top xv?
4 Tuipulotu
5 Darry
6 Ioane
7 Papali'i
8 SotutuI think Suafoa has done enough to be the lock reserve, plus he covers 6/8
Choat or Segner for 7 reserve is a close call. Choat slightly better IMO but Segner gives better bench coverage
That would mean Tucker, Robinson, Choat, Plumtree missing out on the 23 for the big matches
I'm sure some will argue for Robinson but it's hard to see where he fits? Particularly when he's signed offshore and others are playing well. Also, it's hard to argue for his experience after the brain explosion penalty on the weekend
If/when the Blues opt for a 6/2 I'd add Robinson in
Hard to disagree with any of that. Robinson has been disappointing this year, and probably not his fault just injuries catching up with him.
Suafoa has been excellent and Darry has hit the ground running. We have a good list of hard, uncompromising forwards these days.
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Not just Blues-specific but interesting to read there are other German school boys playing in NZ.
https://www.allblacks.com/news/segner-grows-german-rugby-footprint-in-new-zealand/
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This is the last year of Eklund's contract. With his drop in form, I wonder if he will leave at the end of the season? Any ideas on who might replace him?
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@SBW1 Pretty happy with this. I not Reiko's greatest fan , but a fan regardless, but it's more about us keeping some of these players is whats pleasing me. Getting some players we can keep building a team around!
I will add although he not Blues I hoping like hell NZR get DMac's (and JB's)signature until 27 for same reason, he will be a 10 we can build a team around with a few young ones!
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@nzzp said in Blues 2023:
If he stays fit, could threaten Dougie's record of test tries. Needs 16 to equal it, and has 33 in 59 tests over 6 years. Four per year is super doable ...
Man, Doug was awesome
I will always remember that time he burned Jason Robinson at Twickenham. Sooo good.
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@nzzp said in Blues 2023:
If he stays fit, could threaten Dougie's record of test tries. Needs 16 to equal it, and has 33 in 59 tests over 6 years. Four per year is super doable ...
Man, Doug was awesome
I wonder what his tries rate would be if he wasn't dropped for Bridge and hadn't moved to centre.
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@Nepia said in Blues 2023:
@nzzp said in Blues 2023:
If he stays fit, could threaten Dougie's record of test tries. Needs 16 to equal it, and has 33 in 59 tests over 6 years. Four per year is super doable ...
Man, Doug was awesome
I wonder what his tries rate would be if he wasn't dropped for Bridge and hadn't moved to centre.
To be fair, he'd be offshore by now. Wingers don't stay late in NZ rugby - very rare to have a winger past 26/27. And the centre shift was well underway before Bridge got selected. Man, Hansen post -17 struggled with some selections.
