Blues v Highlanders
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So any changes for the Blues?
At some stage the Blues need to give some serious time to a backup midfielder (probably Plummer with Marchant about to leave?) Also it's worth having a look at Christie at some stage.
Personally I hope the midfield starts the same and they just give Plummer a longer stint from the bench
I think they might start Christie though. In both matches Christie has subbed on about the same time Black goes off. So they've alway ended with Christie/Barrett at 9 & 10. I think they might start with that combo and finish with Nock/Black
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They have a bye in week 4, so not much pressure for rotation in this game.
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@Tim said in Blues v Highlanders:
They have a bye in week 4, so not much pressure for rotation in this game.
and they don't have much choice in the forwards. The loosies should stay the same because of injuries. It'd be too risky to rest Tuipulotu. Eklund can't be trusted to throw straight. Maybe a change at prop?
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@Duluth I'm not so sure. It's an 8 game comp, with two byes. For us, it's a block of 3, then a block of 4 games, then the last game against the Crusaders.
Rotation not nearly so critical I don't think. More importnat to play your frontline XV, and keep winning. Sub early if needed.
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@nzzp said in Blues v Highlanders:
Rotation not nearly so critical I don't think
Not really about rotation, it's about preparing for the inevitable injuries.
Backup halfback is untried, midfield depth is very thin and Duffie has not played much at fullback. It's pragmatic to start building the depth in weak area's
Also, maybe a Christie/Barrett/TJ/Ioane backline is the best option
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It’s a fine balance I guess. It’s a short comp so ideally you should be able to play your best lineup as much as possible. But some players ‘need their chance to show out’, others need to be tested should injury strike.
I’d be playing the same lineup and I reckon Rangi will do his best to not disrupt.
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Blues will need to rotate somewhat - 3rd straight derby and Highlanders off the bye.
However I would not be throwing Christie into starting just yet. He went very well off the bench so i'd be looking at giving him more bench minutes this week but starting is a different prospect entirely.
I'd be tempted to look at Tolai as bench hooker.
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@Duluth said in Blues v Highlanders:
Not really about rotation, it's about preparing for the inevitable injuries.
I suppose they do it off the bench. Give everybody some game time .
There is a bit of versatility in the backline as well. Plummer can play first or second, Rieko, centre or wing. BB, etc, etc. Loosies, we have lost a bit with two out.
A balancing act, but winning is winning. I don't want to see that change.
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Oh, and Honey will be well pissed if we dis the 'Landers and play a B team.
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@Snowy said in Blues v Highlanders:
Oh, and Honey will be well pissed if we dis the 'Landers and play a B team.
B team?? I suggested two changes.
IMO Barrett to 10 would strengthen the team
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@Duluth said in Blues v Highlanders:
@Snowy said in Blues v Highlanders:
Oh, and Honey will be well pissed if we dis the 'Landers and play a B team.
B team?? I suggested two changes.
IMO Barrett to 10 would strengthen the team
TBH, I'm not sure it would. Black at 10 and Barrett at 15 with both having input in leading the team around the park seems to work pretty well.
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It has been working pretty well. I think Barrett will have more impact at flyhalf than he's had from fullback so far.
Even if you disagree it's certainly is a valid option for the 'A' side
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@KiwiMurph I wouldn't mind seeing Tolai get a shot off the bench. Bench hooker and the bench utility(23) would be the obvious spots we can rotate.
Maybe get a specialist loosehead back on the bench? Hodgman had to play 70 minutes last week, probably because they didn't trust Renata to play big minutes at loosehead, although in saying that, Renata's one scrum of the night went pretty well.
Pierce and GCT are probably interchangeable. Maybe give Pierce a chance to see if he can win the bench lock spot off GCT.
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@Duluth said in Blues v Highlanders:
Even if you disagree it's certainly is a valid option for the 'A' side
Of course, wasn't shutting it down as an option, just suggesting I don't think it would be better, mostly due to your 15 options.
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@Nepia said in Blues v Highlanders:
@Duluth said in Blues v Highlanders:
@Snowy said in Blues v Highlanders:
Oh, and Honey will be well pissed if we dis the 'Landers and play a B team.
B team?? I suggested two changes.
IMO Barrett to 10 would strengthen the team
TBH, I'm not sure it would. Black at 10 and Barrett at 15 with both having input in leading the team around the park seems to work pretty well.
Blues structure improved in the last 20 wth Beaudy at ten, IMO. Not saying Beaudy 10 and ??? 15 would be an improvement, but Beaudy is a big step up over Black - no matter how well he's playing
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@Duluth said in Blues v Highlanders:
@Snowy said in Blues v Highlanders:
Oh, and Honey will be well pissed if we dis the 'Landers and play a B team.
B team?? I suggested two changes.
Didn't mean you.
Just that wholesale changes probably not a great idea and that if we make them Honey might get upset.
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@Machpants said in Blues v Highlanders:
Blues structure improved in the last 20 wth Beaudy at ten, IMO. Not saying Beaudy 10 and ??? 15 would be an improvement, but Beaudy is a big step up over Black - no matter how well he's playing
The conundrum there is definitely who we play at 15 isn't as good as Beaudy either.
Perofeta was going O.K but injured. Duffie isn't a threat from the back really, so I understand why Leon is doing it. I've forgotten somebody else at 15...I think.
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@Snowy said in Blues v Highlanders:
@Duluth said in Blues v Highlanders:
@Snowy said in Blues v Highlanders:
Oh, and Honey will be well pissed if we dis the 'Landers and play a B team.
B team?? I suggested two changes.
Didn't mean you.
Just that wholesale changes probably not a great idea and that if we make them Honey might get upset.
It does raise the issue of depth though. This may not be as long a comp as the usual, but some teams have to deal with some tough runs in the draw.
Saders get 4/4 pattern
Blues get a 3/4/1
Chiefs get 4/4
Canes 2/4/2
Highlanders 1/4/3Highlanders get Blues and Crusaders in consecutive weeks twice.
Somewhere along the line, even discounting injuries, teams are going to have to give some players a rest
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@Crucial 4 games then a week off too much for a pro rugby player?
I know it has been bought up for EOYT after a long season but they have had a good break this time.
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@Snowy said in Blues v Highlanders:
@Crucial 4 games then a week off too much for a pro rugby player?
I know it has been bought up for EOYT after a long season but they have had a good break this time.
That and it's not test rugby.
You guys should play your B team eh. Hammer will have a plan.
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@Snowy said in Blues v Highlanders:
@Crucial 4 games then a week off too much for a pro rugby player?
I know it has been bought up for EOYT after a long season but they have had a good break this time.
I think RWCs have shown us that you can't expect peak performances 4 games in a row.
Some teams will be OK depending on who they play in that 4th week (eg Blues v Highlanders in week
but it wouldn't surprise me if there aren't some tactical rests, especially from the Crusaders.
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@Snowy said in Blues v Highlanders:
Perofeta was going O.K but injured. Duffie isn't a threat from the back really, so I understand why Leon is doing it. I've forgotten somebody else at 15...I think.
Duffie has played around ~35mins over the last couple of weeks. I think he's gone well. My concern is the amount of minutes he has ever played at fullback
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@Snowy said in Blues v Highlanders:
@Machpants said in Blues v Highlanders:
Blues structure improved in the last 20 wth Beaudy at ten, IMO. Not saying Beaudy 10 and ??? 15 would be an improvement, but Beaudy is a big step up over Black - no matter how well he's playing
The conundrum there is definitely who we play at 15 isn't as good as Beaudy either.
Perofeta was going O.K but injured. Duffie isn't a threat from the back really, so I understand why Leon is doing it. I've forgotten somebody else at 15...I think.
Narawa is another FB option.
I might be in the minority with this opinion, but I think Trainor would do alright at 15 in this backline. I think he's a better FB option than Duffie at least.
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@Dice said in Blues v Highlanders:
I think Trainor would do alright at 15 in this backline
He's been injured hasn't he? I see he played club rugby last weekend
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@Duluth I think so. He didn't play any pre-season or development games at the beginning of the year, but you could see in pictures that he was present at training.
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Highlanders to win by 5!!
Do I hear laughing 
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@Nepia said in Blues v Highlanders:
@Duluth said in Blues v Highlanders:
@Snowy said in Blues v Highlanders:
Oh, and Honey will be well pissed if we dis the 'Landers and play a B team.
B team?? I suggested two changes.
IMO Barrett to 10 would strengthen the team
TBH, I'm not sure it would. Black at 10 and Barrett at 15 with both having input in leading the team around the park seems to work pretty well.
Apologies if it’s already been discussed, And to go with that, is beaudy at 15 the best option for the ABs going forward ?
If it’s a yes , I’m all for him playing 15 at this level
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@Mary said in Blues v Highlanders:
Highlanders to win by 5!!
Do I hear laughing Welcome aboard.
Long suffering Blues fans will take more than that to rise to your rancid bait
We've lifted this year, but Blues/Highlanders used to be the competitive derby games to watch as a Blues fan. We should beat them at home... but can't ever be too confident. I expected teh Chiefs to dust them up in Round 1, and we know how that turned out
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Blues v Highlanders: Saturday 27 June, 7:05pm, Eden Park Auckland
Referee: Paul Williams
Assistant Referee 1: Brendon Pickerill
Assistant Referee 2: Ben O’Keeffe
TMO: Mike Fraser
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@nzzp said in Blues v Highlanders:
@Mary said in Blues v Highlanders:
Highlanders to win by 5!!
Do I hear laughing Welcome aboard.
Long suffering Blues fans will take more than that to rise to your rancid bait
We've lifted this year, but Blues/Highlanders used to be the competitive derby games to watch as a Blues fan. We should beat them at home... but can't ever be too confident. I expected teh Chiefs to dust them up in Round 1, and we know how that turned outYes, when things start going this well I start to get nervous.
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@Kirwan said in Blues v Highlanders:
@nzzp said in Blues v Highlanders:
@Mary said in Blues v Highlanders:
Highlanders to win by 5!!
Do I hear laughing Welcome aboard.
Long suffering Blues fans will take more than that to rise to your rancid bait
We've lifted this year, but Blues/Highlanders used to be the competitive derby games to watch as a Blues fan. We should beat them at home... but can't ever be too confident. I expected teh Chiefs to dust them up in Round 1, and we know how that turned outYes, when things start going this well I start to get nervous.
don't give us that
Yesterday Blues posters were all about rotating out players to rest them up for championship deciders later in the year.
You're up and about, and already buying bottles of silver polish.
own it
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@mariner4life said in Blues v Highlanders:
@Kirwan said in Blues v Highlanders:
@nzzp said in Blues v Highlanders:
@Mary said in Blues v Highlanders:
Highlanders to win by 5!!
Do I hear laughing Welcome aboard.
Long suffering Blues fans will take more than that to rise to your rancid bait
We've lifted this year, but Blues/Highlanders used to be the competitive derby games to watch as a Blues fan. We should beat them at home... but can't ever be too confident. I expected teh Chiefs to dust them up in Round 1, and we know how that turned outYes, when things start going this well I start to get nervous.
don't give us that
Yesterday Blues posters were all about rotating out players to rest them up for championship deciders later in the year.
You're up and about, and already buying bottles of silver polish.
own it
Currently we are clearly in the top two, but that can change pretty quick in a NZ conference. Our worst teams are strong teams in the SA and OZ conferences, for example.
Even when we were "bad", if the QF spots were manipulated to get one form SA and OZ there we'd have made those.
And if you are talking about Duluth's "rotation", that was a whopping TWO players. Hardly 2007 R & R levels there.
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@Kirwan said in Blues v Highlanders:
@mariner4life said in Blues v Highlanders:
@Kirwan said in Blues v Highlanders:
@nzzp said in Blues v Highlanders:
@Mary said in Blues v Highlanders:
Highlanders to win by 5!!
Do I hear laughing Welcome aboard.
Long suffering Blues fans will take more than that to rise to your rancid bait
We've lifted this year, but Blues/Highlanders used to be the competitive derby games to watch as a Blues fan. We should beat them at home... but can't ever be too confident. I expected teh Chiefs to dust them up in Round 1, and we know how that turned outYes, when things start going this well I start to get nervous.
don't give us that
Yesterday Blues posters were all about rotating out players to rest them up for championship deciders later in the year.
You're up and about, and already buying bottles of silver polish.
own it
Currently we are clearly in the top two, but that can change pretty quick in a NZ conference. Our worst teams are strong teams in the SA and OZ conferences, for example.
Even when we were "bad", if the QF spots were manipulated to get one form SA and OZ there we'd have made those.
And if you are talking about Duluth's "rotation", that was a whopping TWO players. Hardly 2007 R & R levels there.
if backtracking was an olympic sport...
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@mariner4life said in Blues v Highlanders:
if backtracking was an olympic sport...
I just read it again and people were talking about a bit of a reshuffle and giving guys time on field to cover for injuries. Not really seeing the backtracking or the original "rotating" as such.
Certainly not for championship deciders - we are far to experienced for that nonsense.
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fuck, everyone got the serious face on today?
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@mariner4life said in Blues v Highlanders:
fuck, everyone got the serious face on today?
It's the decade plus of failure showing through. You're a chiefs fan you should understand.
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@nzzp said in Blues v Highlanders:
@mariner4life said in Blues v Highlanders:
fuck, everyone got the serious face on today?
… or put the mockers on their faux-championship winning season
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Oh great, Paul Williams.
Put your life savings on the blues.
