Blues v Chiefs
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The Blues team is:
1 Alex Hodgman, 2 James Parsons, 3 Ofa Tuungafasi, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu (co-capt), 5 Scott Scrafton, 6 Dalton Papalii, 7 Blake Gibson (co-capt), 8 Akira Ioane, 9 Jonathan Ruru, 10 Harry Plummer, 11 Rieko Ioane, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 13 TJ Faiane (VC), 14 Caleb Clarke, 15 Melani Nanai.
Reserves: 16 Matt Moulds, 17 Lua Li, 18 Karl Tu’inukuafe, 19 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 20 Tom Robinson, 21 Augustine Pulu, 22 Otere Black, 23 Matt Duffie.
Players not considered with injury: Sione Mafileo (ankle) Stephen Perofeta (pectoral), Jordan Trainor (thigh), Sonny Bill Williams (knee) Michael Collins (groin), Sam Nock (finger), Tanielu Tele’a (foot), Josh Goodhue (concussion), Jimmy Tupou (knee), Jed Brown (hamstring).
https://blues.rugby/blues-look-to-even-ledger-in-epic-derby/
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Surprised Plummer is ok to play
The first time this year the best locking combo starts
Jed Brown is as durable as Gibson
So whats the midfield cover? Plummer moves out one? Or Clarke/Ioane to 13?
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From a player welfare perspective, I'm also surprised to see Plummer in the squad. Obviously, we have to trust them doing all the proper medical evaluations, but after last week, I really expected him to get a rest (despite the lack of an obvious third 10 at the moment).
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Goodhue is a bit of a worry, isnt that his 3rd stand down following a head knock?
Blues still smashing Akira though.
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@taniwharugby Not surprised about Akira starting because it's a NZ derby, but you have to wonder how many more minutes they're going to squeeze out of him before he finally gets a rest. It's getting a bit ridiculous.
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@Stargazer also still no sign of number 8 Sotutu whereas other youngsters Plummer, Tele'a and Clarke have had plenty of game time.
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@taniwharugby said in Blues v Chiefs:
Still smashing Akira though.
Gibson/Papali'i/Robinson would work well.. they don't need to play him every match
Do you think Robinson could cover lock at SR level? Surely he could do the job GCT does? That would free up spot for someone like Sotutu
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@Duluth he is abrasive enough, is 1.98 I think, so tall enough to cover lock.
The Blues should have managed Akira better to be able to have him raring to go for this match rather than burning him out which it seems they are intent on doing...
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Solomon Alaimalo, Sean Wainui, Tumua Manu, Anton Lienert-Brown, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Marty McKenzie, Brad Weber (c), Tyler Ardron, Mitchell Karpik, Pita Gus Sowakula, Mitchell Brown, Jesse Parete, Angus Ta'avao, Nathan Harris, Atu Moli
Reserves: Liam Polwart, Aidan Ross, Nepo Laulala, Mitchell Jacobson, Sam Cane, Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, Shaun Stevenson, Alex Nankivell
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Sam Cane named on the bench, this is huge. Also Aidan Ross is back. Let's goooooo.
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Only 23 Chiefs named? When are the other 3 named?
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COME ON THE CHIEFS!!
You can lose every other game of the season but please win this!
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Anyone else finding it scary that a guy - who broke his neck while playing - is going back to playing SR again? Obviously, it has to happen at some point, but man, that was a horrible injury to come back from and it could have ended so much worse. I'll be glad to see him walking off the field in one piece after the final whistle. And I'll probably be like that for the next 4-5 games.
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I wouldn't worry about the minutes Akira is playing, he gets plenty of rest while he is taking his time getting up off the ground.
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Chiefs FB page said that Luke Jacobson sustained a head knock at training this week.
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@Stargazer said in Blues v Chiefs:
Anyone else finding it scary that a guy - who broke his neck while playing - is going back to playing SR again? Obviously, it has to happen at some point, but man, that was a horrible injury to come back from and it could have ended so much worse. I'll be glad to see him walking off the field in one piece after the final whistle. And I'll probably be like that for the next 4-5 games.
Skalk Burger had the same injury and returned to test rugby
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I hope the Eden Park gives Sam Cane an standing ovation when he returns on Saturday. A hard bastard and a great guy.
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@SammyC said in Blues v Chiefs:
@Stargazer said in Blues v Chiefs:
Anyone else finding it scary that a guy - who broke his neck while playing - is going back to playing SR again? Obviously, it has to happen at some point, but man, that was a horrible injury to come back from and it could have ended so much worse. I'll be glad to see him walking off the field in one piece after the final whistle. And I'll probably be like that for the next 4-5 games.
Skalk Burger had the same injury and returned to test rugby
As did Liam Squire.
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Brown - Parete vs Tuipolutu - Scrafton. The Blues have a serious edge on their opponents as far as locks are concerned.
Karpik - Sowakula vs Papali'i - Gibson : same thing for the backrow.
I wonder why Nankivell is not in the starting XV. He's been impressive since the SA tour.
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@cgrant said in Blues v Chiefs:
Brown - Parete vs Tuipolutu - Scrafton. The Blues have a serious edge on their opponents as far as locks are concerned.
Karpik - Sowakula vs Papali'i - Gibson : same thing for the backrow.
I wonder why Nankivell is not in the starting XV. He's been impressive since the SA tour.Cooper seems to be trying to outdo Plumtree in the stupid lock selections.
Nankivell has looked good, even though he's like a prop in the backs. Manu has underwhelmed, but my expectations of him are low anyway.
@Yeetyaah said in Blues v Chiefs:
Chiefs FB page said that Luke Jacobson sustained a head knock at training this week.
Bummer, I saw Jacobson on the bench but didn't realise it wasn't the good one!
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That Chiefs side is shockingly bad (hoping for a reverse jinx but honestly).
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@mofitzy_ said in Blues v Chiefs:
That Chiefs side is shockingly bad (hoping for a reverse jinx but honestly).
Amazing the difference 3-4 players can make to a side. Means the next tier can work off them rather than carry the can themselves.
Any Super side with MMac running the cutter is treading water. I think he has done an admirable job in general but, as others have pointed out, not only do you lose the aspect of an attacking 10 you get a handful of wtf moments that can be killers.
What has been good though is the way the Chiefs have slowly pulled back the season and hung tough despite these problems. I don't think they can sustain it but would be very happy for them to prove me wrong.
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@Crucial huh, go figure. MMac seems like an attacking 10 whenever I've seen him play this season.
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MMac has looked better at 10 than DMac did at the beginning of the season. Though that's a pretty low bar.
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Referee: Glen Jackson
AR1: Nick Briant
AR2: Dan Waenga
TMO: Glenn Newman
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@Stargazer said in Blues v Chiefs:
Referee: Glen Jackson
AR1: Nick Briant
AR2: Dan Waenga
TMO: Glenn NewmanHow Jackson can ref the Chiefs beggars belief.
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@Hooroo It could be worse, like Egon Seconds ...
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Dang man how does Glen Jackson still have a job at this level.
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No fan of Jackson, but he is far better than Briant
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@Duluth And Rasta Rasivhenge
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I really wanted to tip the Chiefs this week, but then I saw the team lists...
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@Hooroo said in Blues v Chiefs:
@Stargazer said in Blues v Chiefs:
Referee: Glen Jackson
AR1: Nick Briant
AR2: Dan Waenga
TMO: Glenn NewmanHow Jackson can ref the Chiefs beggars belief.
Which sparked a thought in my mind. What happened to Nutbrown?
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Good strategy - we can be happy with either result.
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cripple fight!!!!!
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@mariner4life said in Blues v Chiefs:
cripple fight!!!!!
I fear the Chiefs are looking most crippled at the moment. Hopefully Akira is too damn tired to go into beast mode with the ball in hand and Otere comes on early to choke the Blues backs so the Chiefs have a chance.
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@Nepia said in Blues v Chiefs:
@mariner4life said in Blues v Chiefs:
cripple fight!!!!!
I fear the Chiefs are looking most crippled at the moment. Hopefully Akira is too damn tired to go into beast mode with the ball in hand and Otere comes on early to choke the Blues backs so the Chiefs have a chance.
We have 4 top draw players. 3 of which have barely played this year. We're fucking lucky a few nobodies have stepped right up, or we would suck at like Tana-era Blues level
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@mariner4life said in Blues v Chiefs:
@Nepia said in Blues v Chiefs:
@mariner4life said in Blues v Chiefs:
cripple fight!!!!!
I fear the Chiefs are looking most crippled at the moment. Hopefully Akira is too damn tired to go into beast mode with the ball in hand and Otere comes on early to choke the Blues backs so the Chiefs have a chance.
or we would suck at like Tana-era Blues level
Instead we suck like the Cooper-Era (Insert any team)
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@Hooroo said in Blues v Chiefs:
@mariner4life said in Blues v Chiefs:
@Nepia said in Blues v Chiefs:
@mariner4life said in Blues v Chiefs:
cripple fight!!!!!
I fear the Chiefs are looking most crippled at the moment. Hopefully Akira is too damn tired to go into beast mode with the ball in hand and Otere comes on early to choke the Blues backs so the Chiefs have a chance.
or we would suck at like Tana-era Blues level
Instead we suck like the Cooper-Era (Insert any team)
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This really isn't the week to complain about your franchise and coach who led you to the playoffs last year.
