Blues Thread

[zer0]

Fair play to Umaga. Blues history has taught me to err on the side of assuming a disaster, but it looks like he’s well and truly got them moving in the right direction. Add in all the players who will return to the side next season (Moala, the brothers Ioane), the newcomers (Pulu, Williams, the other Counties guys), and things are looking promising for next season.

Luatua has also got himself back to the standard that got him into the AB's. A test recall should be imminent, I think.

[scuzzaman]

Holy hell. I thought that was humiliating, until I saw the Chiefs v Reds result.

What in the .. ???

[Len]

Poms crowing over their series win. Look at the state of Australian rugby FFS

[Lizard]

No pressure on the Canes, tonight then eh?

[Eugene Wrayburn]

Fair play to Umaga. Blues history has taught me to err on the side of assuming a disaster, but it looks like he’s well and truly got them moving in the right direction. Add in all the players who will return to the side next season (Moala, the brothers Ioane), the newcomers (Pulu, Williams, the other Counties guys), and things are looking promising for next season.

Luatua has also got himself back to the standard that got him into the AB's. A test recall should be imminent, I think.

All of this. Looked really good yesterday. Looks like you've produced another excellent coach.

[Len]

Good to see Luatua back on form. Always rated him. Would like yo see Ranger back though. Guy is awesome

[scuzzaman]

And the Blues do it again. Two wins in a row. RWC next?*

(*Sorry, couldn't resist an England snarc.)

[Eugene Wrayburn]

That's a really good transitional season into competitiveness. Hopefully they've got Tana contractually tied down for a long time to give them a chance to climb to being challengers.

[Spy]

Strange to think of it as a good season when we wooden-spooned the NZ conference, but it actually was a pretty good season. 8 wins, even managed a couple away from home, and played some very good rugby at times. Finished strongly, after playoff hopes were already extinguished, as is the tradition. Ultimately futile, but it left the season ticket holders feeling positive. After the past couple of years we'll take any straw cast to us.

The scrum was a problem all season. Looking at the playing roster I'm at a loss as to why, but we got munted badly by more than a few teams. That's a big off-season work-on. The lineout generally went well. We actually saw some set moves, which we hadn't seen really at all during the Kirwan years, and some proper defensive ticker, which again was not a feature of the Kirwan era.

There were some very positive individual performances through the season. Luatua really kicked on: for a while I could see he was making a big effort, but it wasn't quite coming off. As the season wore on he got better and better, and he must now be in the frame for an All Black recall. The Ioane's were lively before going to 7s duty. Kaino played well, particularly after standing down from the captaincy, and Kara Pryor came on the scene late, but looked strong. It often seems that we only settle on our best XV as the season is about to end.

In the backs, West was up and down at 10. Good runner, some erratic decision-making and kicking. Piers Francis had a great season on moderate talent in the backline, and a shout-out to league convert Matt Duffie, breaking down barriers by being a white guy on the wing for the Blues. Sort of a reverse Chester Williams. Visinea and Nanai had some sparky moments from fullback.

Looking to next year, the 9/10 axis still shapes as the issue for the Blues. Augustine Pulu should make a difference there, as hopefully will SBW at 12. One of the main pluses for next year is that there should be a more positive vibe and some belief around the place. Good job Umaga.

The worst team in the NZ conference, but far from the worst in the competition. Good enough.

[Eugene Wrayburn]

One gets the feeling that if you transport the Blues to any other conference then they at least pick up a wild card. Having to play the best 4 teams in Super Rugby home and away is cleary going to dent the performance stats

[cashead]

Luatua, Kaino, Bekhuis and Tuipulotu, IMO were the season-long standout forwards, as that quartet didn't have a bad game all season, and the three opensides used all definitely did their bit. Kara Pryor ended up being a bit of an unsung hero in the pack at the tail-end of the competition, such as it seems to be for the Pryor brothers.

In the backline, Visinia and Nanai were both top quality performers at fullback, Duffie got better and better as the season went on (and it looked like Umaga handled his transition from league to union quite well, incrementally increasing his time on the pitch each time), but I'd have to say, the MVP there would have to be Piers Francis. Putting him in at 12 basically lifted pressure off of Ihaia West, who benefited from having a second play-maker alongside him, and the Blues backline looked much more fluid and composed with him in the midfield. It might be easy to dismiss him as an English journeyman with a largely undistinguished career in Europe, but it's clear that he's benefiting from playing under a coach that recognises his talent and value to a team, and the quality of his impact and performances for both Counties and the Blues under Umaga speaks for itself.

[Spy]

So, we're back on tonight. Seems a bit weird, still thinking more about cricket, but early wins count just as much as later wins, so would be good to get some points on the board while it's still summer. Haven't even seen the team list: just had a look at the NZH and couldn't even find it there. Feeling hopeful about this year without any real justification for doing so.

[zer0]

1. Pauliasi Manu
2. Matt Moulds
3. Sione Mafileo
4. Jimmy Tupou (C)
5. Gerard Cowley-Tuioti
6. Steven Luatua
7. Blake Gibson
8. Akira Ioane
9. Augustine Pulu
10. Ihaia West
11. Melani Nanai
12. Piers Francis
13. Rieko Ioane
14. Matt Duffie
15. Michael Collins

16. Hame Faiva
17. Sam Prattley
18. Charlie Faumuina
19. Scott Scrafton
20. Murphy Taramai
21. Sam Nock
22. George Moala
23. Rene Ranger

Four starters missing for this match, with another two/three making their way back from injury via the bench.

[Spy]

Thanks zer0. Quite a few new names there, as you say. Doesn't look too bad though.

[zer0]

A largely flat first half effort from the Blues. Some basketball shenanigans down the blind-sides and R.Ioane taking a gamble somewhat cancelled out by conceding a silly charge-down.

[Spy]

Good first up game, 5 points in the bank. Pulu was outstanding for the 60 minutes he was on, and West kicked very well - not always his strong point. 18-56 FT. Very good effort away from home, albeit against the Rebels.

[jared_7]

Well well well, I guess its safe to say its all downhill from here and another "frustrating" season for the Blues

[Spy]

Almost certainly, Jared. But I've learned to enjoy the small victories we have to make do with as a Blues supporter. It's the perfect foil for supporting the All Blacks at international level. In fact, this contrast between our regional and national teams probably explains the grounded temperament and lack of hubris among Aucklanders generally.

[cashead]

Title as good as won.

[morepork]

How is Akira Ioane shaping up as an 8?

[Spy]

He was a bit ropey, actually. Some good stuff, but I think he missed a few tackles and certainly didn't look quite settled. He's a great talent, for sure. Both he and Luatua seem more natural at 6 at the moment.

[zer0]

A definite improvement in the second half. R.Ioane in particular looked handy at centre. They now have three straight matches against other NZ franchises (with only one at home), which should be ample time to fit in a good old fashioned Blues meltdown, or two.

[morepork]

He was a bit ropey, actually. Some good stuff, but I think he missed a few tackles and certainly didn't look quite settled. He's a great talent, for sure. Both he and Luatua seem more natural at 6 at the moment.

Cheers boss. Who is the natural back up for Reid (not necessarily from the Bloos)? I'm out of touch.

[cashead]

Liam Squire would be the incumbent back-up to Reado, or possibly Kaino who's filled in there reasonably well in the recent past.

[morepork]

How much petrol does Kaino have in the tank leading to the next cup? The Norfern hemisphere teams are investing in big bruisers at 8. Most of them operate one out, but some, like Picamoles can do the damage linking out wide. Kaino does a lot of work at 6 in knocking out continuity close in so I'm thinking an 8 like Reid needs a bruiser like Kaino to operate. We've seen what those Irish tractors did when that in close work was breached. What's a logical unit for the ABs going forward here?