Blues 2019
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Our priority (like it has been for ages) is to find a good quality 9/10 combo. We seem to have taken the shotgun approach of quantity over quality, and just hoped one pops out fully formed. Mind you, Leon knows a bit about quality 10s, and should be able to see the attributes we need to get a combination that will get us to upper mid table.
Overall, though, our big headache is our lack of rugby nous. WE lost the Canes game because we played dumb rugby
Edit: and if you swapped the 9/10 combos, Blues win that game by 30 points.
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@Dice said in Blues 2019:
I'm assuming that's the end of his Super Rugby season?
It's was confirmed in an article that Nock is gone for the rest of the season.
They'll need three halfbacks.. Does anyone know who has taken his place? They might as well get a run ahead of Pulu at some stage. It's a good chance to evaluate a potential 2020 squad member.
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I gues it'll be Lewis Gjaltema/Harrison Levien?
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@nzzp said in Blues 2019:
Edit: and if you swapped the 9/10 combos, Blues win that game by 30 points.
Haha you could say the same in a Crusaders vs Canes game aswell. Give the Canes Franks and Whitelock for Blackwell and Toomaga Allen and the Canes win easy. But they don't have them so those sort of statements are pointless.
The one big thing the Blues lack is game smarts but I don't think they need a Perenara or Barrett to get to that level. They have the experience across the park to compete with any team. I mean for one they should have given the Canes more respect and taken the points when they were on offer. They could have been 13 points up, instead they risked it and found themselves tied 7 all.
It's also guys like Parsons that prevent the Blues from reaching that next level IMO. He just has no impact whatsoever and it's things like his laboured pass that are preventing the Blues from taking those little half gaps, thus stopping them from asserting pressure on the opposition.
Don't get me wrong I think the Blues are nearly there but they just need a couple more impactful players that bring that energy and special skillset, especially at hooker I.e a Taylor or Coles type.
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@African-Monkey said in Blues 2019:
I gues it'll be Lewis Gjaltema/Harrison Levien?
According to my sauces there's a halfback from Ta$man who'll be getting a call...
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Wonder if he's interested in working for the Blues? Could be a great signign
Doug Howlett's 11-year association with Munster comes to an end
The former All Black is leaving his role as the province’s head of commercial and marketing to return home.
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Here’s a question I have been pondering..!
In the same way the warriors have missed Johnson,Kata & Blair this season and in the last 2 games..sorry to cross could but I needed some sort of comparison.
Was James Parsons realistically missed on Saturday evening..? -
@Steven-Harris Parsons was a huge reason why the Chiefs won the first game between the two teams - he threw the intercept to Weber for his try and he missed a one-on-one tackle with ALB for his try.
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@Steven-Harris said in Blues 2019:
Here’s a question I have been pondering..!
In the same way the warriors have missed Johnson,Kata & Blair this season and in the last 2 games..sorry to cross could but I needed some sort of comparison.
Was James Parsons realistically missed on Saturday evening..?Moulds didn't have a great game though, if we apply the same standards we are holding Parsons too. Dodgy lineout throwing back.
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@Kirwan I actually thought Moulds scrummed well, did not get ragged dolled at tackle time, and made his tackles..2 errors one a throw in, and one where he should have dived on the ball but elected to pick it up but knocked it on..that does not constitute a bad game in my opinion..
I have seen Parsons have 2 absolute shocking games in a row against the chiefs and the Highlanders this year where he got rag dolled but that’s norm ,side entry infractions, missed tackles and offside penalties ..
Just seems to me there are players that are well supported on this forum that can make 2 or 3 errors in a game but the never get put under the same spotlight..
I personally think if the Blues has eliminated some of their errors by 20% Saturday nights game would have been won much more comfortably..
I think it’s a very fair question to ask. -
@Steven-Harris He made more mistakes than that, I was wanting him to stand up and prove the selectors wrong. Didn't do that IMO, and let the pressure off the Chiefs in some real key times.
I'm in the Parsons must go camp, by the way.
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I must say Apisai has improved this year - admittedly he started from a very low base - he was not Super standard last year but has been much better this year. He had good impact off the bench last week including being part of that huge scrum under the own Blues posts and nailing the final lineout throw for the bonus point try.
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When the weather is a bit damp, there’s heaps of grip on the ball, it makes throwing a shit load harder. Harris also had one not straight anda bunch of line out ball got attacked by Blues.
What Steve said is absolutely true. If Moulds had more game time and remember he’s not even been on the bench for the last couple of weeks he would’ve been more match hardened. His tackles were strong, clean outs solid.
What I like is his ability in the tackle to present really good ball.
Moulds deserved more game time than he’s had. Apisai is playing well at last he’s got his future on the line. -
@Steven-Harris said in Blues 2019:
@Kirwan I actually thought Moulds scrummed well, did not get ragged dolled at tackle time, and made his tackles..2 errors one a throw in, and one where he should have dived on the ball but elected to pick it up but knocked it on..that does not constitute a bad game in my opinion..
I have seen Parsons have 2 absolute shocking games in a row against the chiefs and the Highlanders this year where he got rag dolled but that’s norm ,side entry infractions, missed tackles and offside penalties ..
Just seems to me there are players that are well supported on this forum that can make 2 or 3 errors in a game but the never get put under the same spotlight..
I personally think if the Blues has eliminated some of their errors by 20% Saturday nights game would have been won much more comfortably..
I think it’s a very fair question to ask.You're talking Parsons? Not seeing too much defending of him. He's pretty much universally regarded as hard working but NPC level at best from what I see on here.
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