Blues v Hurricanes

Canes4life

@KiwiMurph is this because he doesn't want to tackle Laumape?

Bones

@KiwiMurph is this because he doesn't want to tackle Laumape?

He might well get more chances of it at fullback...

junior

"At mid-afternoon (Thursday) 34,000 seats had been sold for the first-round match between the Blues and the Hurricanes," ..."The initiative of General Admission seating at $20 for adults with children free has been so popular that it has exhausted supply."

Gonna be awesome!

That is awesome! I just hope for the sake of all those people that it's a high-quality match and that the Blues get up - it could really set things in motion for a cultural shift towards NZers actually watching live rugby again.

nzzp

@junior said in Blues v Hurricanes:

@Machpants said in Blues v Hurricanes:

"At mid-afternoon (Thursday) 34,000 seats had been sold for the first-round match between the Blues and the Hurricanes," ..."The initiative of General Admission seating at $20 for adults with children free has been so popular that it has exhausted supply."

Gonna be awesome!

That is awesome! I just hope for the sake of all those people that it's a high-quality match and that the Blues get up

I'm bracing myself for another heartbreaking loss. Years of ingrained habit. Really tempted to bet all the money I'll spend tomorrow on the Canes at $2.50 as loss insurnace ... either a cheap day out, or more expensive but delighted with a Blues win

sparky

Surprised the teams haven't been announced yet.

Does anyone know when the teams are going to be named?

KiwiMurph

@sparky teams are named 2 days before the game - so today. Its a Sunday game which is why it probably feels late.

Canes4life

A few tip offs that I've heard around the Canes side.

Tiatia to start at Fullback
Goosen on the right wing
Mafileo in the mix.
Aumua reserve hooker over Riccitelli
Kirifi, Evans and Savea to start. Flanders out of the 23 altogether as I think Prinsep is in the mix.

foobaNZ

@Canes4life said in Blues v Hurricanes:

A few tip offs that I've heard around the Canes side.

Tiatia to start at Fullback
Goosen on the right wing
Mafileo in the mix.
Aumua reserve hooker over Riccitelli
Kirifi, Evans and Savea to start. Flanders out of the 23 altogether as I think Prinsep is in the mix.

That is frustrating

Canes4life

@foobaNZ Yeah, hopefully my tip-off is wrong because Flanders deserves a spot.

nzzp

Beaudy baby. See him slot it at the end...

Hooroo

What's the forecast for Sunday's game?

Who's going? Mr and Mrs @Duluth I imagine, but who else? @Kirwan?

nzzp

@Hooroo I'll be there of course, with 30,000 of my closest mates

Forecast looking good - and it has all week. Should be dry, 15 degrees and sunny.

SUN
14 JUN
Cloudy with isolated morning showers, then fine spells increasing from afternoon. Northeasterlies.

KiwiMurph

Blues officials have confirmed 37 thousand tickets have been pre sold for the match

Canes4life

@KiwiMurph fantastic, should get a few more walking up on the day.

Kirwan

@Hooroo said in Blues v Hurricanes:

What's the forecast for Sunday's game?

Who's going? Mr and Mrs @Duluth I imagine, but who else? @Kirwan?

Think we are all going to go, just waiting on the weather forecast to confirm the kids.

Great time for kickoff to bring the family

Hooroo

@Kirwan said in Blues v Hurricanes:

@Hooroo said in Blues v Hurricanes:

What's the forecast for Sunday's game?

Who's going? Mr and Mrs @Duluth I imagine, but who else? @Kirwan?

Think we are all going to go, just waiting on the weather forecast to confirm the kids.

Great time for kickoff to bring the family

Fully! with 37k sold already it is going to be a ripper of an atmosphere.

We would have come if it was on a Saturday so we could stay the night but too hard basket to do it all on a Sunday.

Mate has his bar set up so will be watching at his place so I don't have to put Sky sports back on.

Duluth

alt text

15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Mark Telea, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 TJ Faiane, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Otere Black, 9 Sam Nock; 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 7 Blake Gibson, 6 Tom Robinson, 5 Josh Goodhue, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu (c), 3 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 2 James Parsons, 1 Alex Hodgman.
Reserves: 16 Kurt Eklund, 17 Ezekiel Lindenmuth, 18 Marcel Renata, 19 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 20 Dalton Papalii, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Harry Plummer, 23 Matt Duffie

Players not considered with injury: Karl Tu’inukuafe (leg strain), Jack Heighton (quad), Jared Page (pec), Stephen Perofeta (fractured foot). Season ending: Ray Niuia, James Tucker, Tanielu Tele’a.

https://blues.rugby/selection-headaches-for-hurricanes-clash/

Blues head coach Leon MacDonald has had his toughest selection job to decide his team for the opening match of the Investec Super Rugby Aotearoa.

MacDonald said ‘Competition for selection has been intense throughout a number of positions’, as the Blues prepare to meet the Hurricanes at Eden Park on Sunday afternoon.

“It has been the hardest team to select in my time here,” said MacDonald. “There are some disappointed players not in the 23 this week. But they will get their chance and we will need them.”

Two-time world player of the year, Beauden Barrett will make his long-awaited debut for the Blues against his former team at fullback, while another former Hurricanes player, halfback Finlay Christie will make his debut off the bench.

Upfront prop Alex Hodgman and Northland lock Josh Goodhue are both fully fit and return to the starting pack that includes All Blacks Ofa Tu’ungafasi and captain Patrick Tuipulotu, with Blues centurion James Parsons at hooker.

The loose forward trio is one of the most competitive selections with Tom Robinson, Blake Gibson and early-season standout Hoskins Sotutu given the start, meaning All Black Dalton Papalii will come off the bench.

The backline has a similar look to pre-Covid-19 times with TJ Faiane and All Black Rieko Ioane again pairing in the midfield outside San Nock and Otere Black. Caleb Clarke returns from New Zealand Sevens to take his place on the left wing to form a potent back three with Mark Telea and Barrett.

There is familiar appearance to the reserves that include utility back Matt Duffie, who will earn his 50th Blues cap if he gets on the field.

“Beauden has fitted in to our team seamlessly and has come in great shape and with real enthusiasm. This week we felt that he can best help us at 15 being his first game for the Blues with a mindset of graduating into the 10 role,” said MacDonald.

“Otere (Black) was one of our best players earlier in the season and guided us well around the field, while Caleb (Clarke) has been outstanding since returning from the Sevens.

“Picking the loose forwards was one of the hardest jobs where we are blessed to have so many quality players.

“The team is naturally excited. This is a special occasion for us all – and something none of us expected, to be playing so soon and in front of our fans. It will be the same for the Hurricanes and I hope we can produce a real spectacle.

“Our good form from earlier this year is a bit irrelevant now. That said the team know that if they put in the quality hard work during the week then they can take some confidence into game day to focus on their execution.

“This is going to be a monumental 10 weeks of local derby battles which will be a battle of attrition, so we will need our whole squad if we are to realise our goals.”

Canes4life

Hurricanes team to play the Blues: Chase Tiatia, Wes Goosen, Vince Aso, Ngani Laumape, Ben Lam, Jackson Garden-Bachop, TJ Perenara (co-captain), Gareth Evans, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Reed Prinsep, Scott Scrafton, James Blackwell, Tyrel Lomax, Dane Coles (co-captain), Fraser Armstrong. Reserves: Asafo Aumua, Tevita Mafileo, Alex Fidow, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Vaea Fifita, Ardie Savea, Jamie Booth, Billy Proctor.

Stargazer

@Canes4life A 6:2 split on the bench ...

Canes4life

@Stargazer Perenara to cover 1st five?

The Silver Fern

Blues v Hurricanes