Blues v Chiefs
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Blues named.
Collins benched. It is a miracle.
This is absolutely a must win game for the Blues. With the number of injuries the Chiefs have the Blues have a golden opportunity at an NZ derby win, and at home to add more expectation.
Having said that typically the Chiefs go up an extra gear when they play the Blues and the Blues have yet to demonstrate they can actually close NZ derbies out - so I'm still expecting a Chiefs win.
The team is:
1 Pauliasi Manu, 2 James Parsons, 3 Ofa Tuungafasi, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu, 5 Scott Scrafton, 6 Jimmy Tupou, 7 Murphy Taramai, 8 Akira Ioane; 9 Augustine Pulu ©, 10 Bryn Gatland, 11 Rieko Ioane, 12 TJ Faiane, 13 George Moala, 14 Matt Duffie,15 Melani Nanai
Reserves: 16 Leni Apisai, 17 Alex Hodgman, 18 Michael Tamoaieta, 19 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 20 Jerome Kaino, 21 Sam Nock, 22 Daniel Kirkpatrick, 23 Michael Collins
The changes in the backline will see TJ Faiane in place of Sonny Bill Williams, who has not recovered sufficiently from a knee injury but is expected to join the squad that heads to South Africa at the weekend. -
http://theblues.co.nz/blues-chiefs-eden-park-2-march/
All Black Patrick Tuipulotu, who came off the bench in the narrow loss to the Highlanders in Dunedin last week, will get his start at lock with Scott Scrafton, with the experienced Jimmy Tupou back to full fitness to start at loose forward. All Black Jerome Kaino, who earlier today announced he will finish his distinguished career at the Blues at the end of the season, will come off the bench for his first game of the season after recovery from injury. The changes in the backline will see TJ Faiane in place of Sonny Bill Williams, who has not recovered sufficiently from a knee injury but is expected to join the squad that heads to South Africa at the weekend. Also Melani Nanai gets a start at fullback with Michael Collins to come off the bench. The other change in the pack has the experienced Pauliasi Manu to start at loosehead prop with Alex Hodgman as reserve. Coach Tana Umaga said the side had produced a lot of excellent work in the opener against the Highlanders. “For much of the game we put in some solid performances in most phases of our game, and in that regard most of the team has been retained,” said Umaga. “Some lack of discipline proved very costly and we have addressed that this week. At the same time we did a lot of very good things. We take confidence from that going into this game, knowing though that we will need to take a further step up if we are to get the result at home that we and our fans are pretty keen to earn.” Umaga said the loss of Williams was significant but that TJ Faiane has been impressive in training and brings a different skillset to the game. And he was very pleased that Tuipulotu and Kaino are back in the playing squadPleased they left Akira at 8.
A much better looking side with Nanai starting and 2 the experienced loosises back
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Based upon the Blues v Highlanders game I would have had both Hodgman and Collins starting. The Blues had a solid scrum through the first half and Collins I thought played albeit for a couple of early penalties, played very well. Blues did not finish strong at all, Manu looked very laboured although he was on for only 30 minutes and Nanai looked erratic and a little lost. The Blues did not finish strong at all.
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@number9 yeah funny to see Collins dropped after having played seemingly better game than usual (visibly at least).
Pretty fearsome backs to bring on late in the game.
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@bones Never underestimate Daniel Kirkpatrick!
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@kiwimurph said in Blues v Chiefs:
This is absolutely a must win game for the Blues. With the number of injuries the Chiefs have the Blues have a golden opportunity at an NZ derby win, and at home to add more expectation.
Having said that typically the Chiefs go up an extra gear when they play the Blues and the Blues have yet to demonstrate they can actually close NZ derbies out - so I'm still expecting a Chiefs win.
Big change to previous years is Colin Cooper instead of Rennie.
This might be the most important game of the season for the Blues - a win and they're off and running, a home loss and they're under pressure with the other NZ teams already down the track.
I guess I'll wait and see the Chiefs team, but given the injury news so far the Blues should be favourites.
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Are the Chiefs going to name their team or what?
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@tim said in Blues v Chiefs:
Are the Chiefs going to name their team or what?
look, when we find 23 players we'll name then alright?
Blues nailed on to break their 10 year NZ derby drought
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@tim said in Blues v Chiefs:
Are the Chiefs going to name their team or what?
Will it make a difference?
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That's 23 players not named Fa'auli.
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@mariner4life Hey at least he's not Wainui.
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Yes, he's always shit - missed tackles, dropped passes.
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@tim said in Blues v Chiefs:
@mariner4life Hey at least he's not Wainui.
But Wainui is there anyway. Anyway, I actually think Wainui might be better. Fa'auliu is only there due to a slight resemblance to Ma'a.
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@nepia Wainui might be the worst defender I've seen in recent years of Super Rugby.
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@tim said in Blues v Chiefs:
@nepia Wainui might be the worst defender I've seen in recent years of Super Rugby.
shiiiit, that would be a pretty long line to get to the front of.
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@nepia said in Blues v Chiefs:
Fa'auliu is only there due to a slight resemblance to Ma'a.
Johnny has the early Ma'a run out of the line/shoulder charge defensive technique down pat.
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@tim said in Blues v Chiefs:
@nepia Wainui might be the worst defender I've seen in recent years of Super Rugby.
He’s terrible, even at club level. Very happy he went to the chiefs
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- Aidan Ross
- Nathan Harris
- Nepo Laulala
- Brodie Retallick
- Michael Allardice
- Liam Messam
- Sam Cane
- Taleni Seu
- Brad Weber
- Damian McKenzie
- Solomon Alaimalo
- Johnny Faauli
- Anton Lienert-Brown
- Sean Wainui
- Shaun Stevenson
RESERVES:
- Liam Polwart
- Karl Tu’inukuafe
- Angus Ta’avao
- Mitchell Brown*/Luke Jacobson
- Lachlan Boshier
- Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi
- Tiaan Falcon
- Bailyn Sullivan/Declan O’Donnell
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Cooper needs to find more average Taranaki players.
This is list I was interested in.
Unavailable for selection: Dominic Bird, Tim Nanai-Williams, Charlie Ngatai, Toni Pulu, Fin Hoeata, Alex Nankivell, Tyler Ardron, Regan Verney, Mitchell Graham, Sosefo Kautai, Sam McNicol, Atu Moli, Kane Hames, Marty McKenzie, Levi Aumua.
Blues to win this one.
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@tim said in Blues v Chiefs:
- Aidan Ross
- Nathan Harris
- Nepo Laulala
- Brodie Retallick
- Michael Allardice
- Liam Messam
- Sam Cane
- Taleni Seu
- Brad Weber
- Damian McKenzie
- Solomon Alaimalo
- Johnny Faauli
- Anton Lienert-Brown
- Sean Wainui
- Shaun Stevenson
RESERVES:
- Liam Polwart
- Karl Tu’inukuafe
- Angus Ta’avao
- Mitchell Brown*/Luke Jacobson
- Lachlan Boshier
- Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi
- Tiaan Falcon
- Bailyn Sullivan/Declan O’Donnell
Blues by 12.
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@tim Falcon to be thrown into the deep end when/if he comes on. He has only had one preseason with the Canes and now one preseason with the Chiefs. Very, very limited time at 10 for the Magpies. Was very good for the NZU20s, but this is a big step up. Hope he'll go well. Not that I'm expecting him to get much game time, if any ...
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@sammyc Interesting, every time I saw him play for Shirley he seemed to play very well, must not have liked playing Sydenham haha.
Anyway, don't know why people would be backing the Blues when we don't know how to win against fellow NZ teams. Something about this fixture gives me horrible thoughts of that Highlanders debacle at Eden Park last year.
Hopefully we can avoid yet another close loss.
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@african-monkey Ihia West won't be dropping the ball at the back this week.
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Apart from a couple of questionable backs, I wouldn’t call that a terrible Chiefs team at all.
Even if they play pretty well, The Blues will find a way to lose, so what are you Chiefs fans claiming the moral underdog status for anyway?
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@bovidae said in Blues v Chiefs:
Cooper needs to find more average Taranaki players.
This is list I was interested in.
Unavailable for selection: Dominic Bird, Tim Nanai-Williams, Charlie Ngatai, Toni Pulu, Fin Hoeata, Alex Nankivell, Tyler Ardron, Regan Verney, Mitchell Graham, Sosefo Kautai, Sam McNicol, Atu Moli, Kane Hames, Marty McKenzie, Levi Aumua.
Blues to win this one.
Really? how many starters in that lot?
Dominic Bird - yep
Tim Nanai-Williams - at a pinch
Charlie Ngatai - yep
Toni Pulu - at a pinch
Fin Hoeata - no
Alex Nankivell - no
Tyler Ardron - no
Regan Verney - who?
Mitchell Graham - maybe
Sosefo Kautai - who?
Sam McNicol, - maybe
Atu Moli - yep
Kane Hames - yep
Marty McKenzie - nup
Levi Aumua - who? -
In saying that Moli would likely be behind Hames and Laulala
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Strange. I want the Blues to win. I think it's more important for NZ rugby.
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@booboo said in Blues v Chiefs:
Strange. I want the Blues to win. I think it's more important for NZ rugby.
Agree. Also my 5 year old gets really upset when the Blues lose.
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But the injuries have effected the Chiefs' bench depth, particularly at prop and the outside backs.
Moli and Graham/Ross off the bench is better than what will happen on Fri night.
TNW would likely be the right winger or fullback.
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Could be rain around by the looks - that might even it up somewhat.
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@rocky-rockbottom said in Blues v Chiefs:
@no-quarter said in Blues v Chiefs:
Also my 5 year old gets really upset when the Blues lose.
The mind of a child has a special affinity with the cognitive dissonance of your average Blues player.
why you gotta insult his kids like that? #harsh
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@rocky-rockbottom said in Blues v Chiefs:
@mariner4life said in Blues v Chiefs:
@rocky-rockbottom said in Blues v Chiefs:
@no-quarter said in Blues v Chiefs:
Also my 5 year old gets really upset when the Blues lose.
The mind of a child has a special affinity with the cognitive dissonance of your average Blues player.
why you gotta insult his kids like that? #harsh
I will retract my insult IF the child can play first five. For the Blues. This weekend.
He likes to run with the ball, is flaky on defense, doesn't really have a boot on him to speak of, and is erratic and very unpredictable as to what he will do next.
So a perfect fit.
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@no-quarter said in Blues v Chiefs:
@booboo said in Blues v Chiefs:
Strange. I want the Blues to win. I think it's more important for NZ rugby.
Agree. Also my 5 year old gets really upset when the Blues lose.
Five year olds are pretty angry, yours far more than most
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I need an uppercut, because I'm actually confident about tonight.
Weather looking good so far. Plenty of clouds about today, but not much rain has come with it.
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Blues by 30
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@pukunui said in Blues v Chiefs:
Blues by 30
THIS IS OUR YEAR.
I initially mis typed to 'this is your year'. Guess Freud had something right after all
Not feeling confident, we Blues can find a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory... particularly against the bloody Chiefs. -
In some late changes for the already injury-ravaged Chiefs, Brodie Retallick has withdrawn from the Chiefs starting XV with an eye injury sustained at training, while fullback Shaun Stevenson has suffered what appears to be an ankle injury in the pre-match warm up. As a result, Mitchell Brown will start at lock, while it appears that Stevenson will be replaced by Damian McKenzie, with Tiaan Falcon coming off the bench to 10.
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@tim said in Blues v Chiefs:
In some late changes for the already injury-ravaged Chiefs, Brodie Retallick has withdrawn from the Chiefs starting XV with an eye injury sustained at training, while fullback Shaun Stevenson has suffered what appears to be an ankle injury in the pre-match warm up. As a result, Mitchell Brown will start at lock, while it appears that Stevenson will be replaced by Damian McKenzie, with Tiaan Falcon coming off the bench to 10.
Fuck.
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