Blues v Rebels
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What changes do you expect?
Travelling back from Perth can be a bitch so I expect a few changes in the pack. Hopefully the backs remain largely the same - Rieko to return and maybe Perofeta at fullback?
The Blues need to get some time into Vikena because clearly that other guy can't be trusted. I hope Vikena gets a start
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In addition to Rieko both Laulala & Sotutu are also back from AB rest.
Tom Robinson should be available.
There's some chat Nock might be fit.
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With Barrett expected to satisfy his All Blacks rest requirements this week, following a series of 80-minute efforts, Perofeta appears poised to make a timely return to first-five after missing the past two patchy performances from the Blues while isolating with Covid.
Fortunately for Perofeta he suffered a mild case and is confident of bouncing back on Friday night against the Rebels at Eden Park where the Blues will attempt to atone for two unconvincing victories.
"I was quite lucky so I managed to freshen up the body and mind after a busy schedule at the start of the season so I'm ready to go," Perofeta said.
Just as he matures into a classy, calm operator, Perofeta is weighing his future. He's yet to commit to Taranaki or the Blues beyond this season but indicates his intention is to keep pursuing the All Blacks dream, for now.
"It's a work in progress at the moment. I've connected with Taranaki and Neil Barnes. My ambition is to stay. If my form dies off towards the end of the season or I'm not as consistent then overseas is a viable option but I'm more leaning towards staying in New Zealand as long as possible.
"The All Blacks is in the back of my mind - that's the ultimate goal in what I'm wanting to achieve while I am in New Zealand. If that happens, it will be an extra motivation."
The Blues' secret weapon: Overshadowed star weighing future in NZ
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Career best form has to put the Blues' secret weapon in the All Blacks frame.
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He's really matured into a good player that many, including me, had written off.
I'm going Friday with a cohort. Hopefully a really good crowd and a big Blues win
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I would like to see us start playing close to our strongest side from now on.
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Kinda sucks that after four straight away games they won't running out Barrett at Eden Park.
Anyway, some selection guesses:
6 Ioane
7 Papalii
8 Sotutu
9 Christie
10 Perofeta
11 Clarke
12 RTS
13 Ioane
14 Lam
15 SullivanWill be interesting to see if Sullivan gets any time at 10.
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Maybe Robinson at lock if he's available?
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@Duluth Could see Romano getting a rest.
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@Tim said in Blues v Rebels:
Will be interesting to see if Sullivan gets any time at 10.
They've shown no inclination to play him there at all (unfortunately). Expect to see Jock Mckenzie on the bench.
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@nzzp said in Blues v Rebels:
He's really matured into a good player that many, including me, had written off.
There's a thread for that.
I'm going Friday with a cohort. Hopefully a really good crowd and a big Blues win
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@Tim said in Blues v Rebels:
Kinda sucks that after four straight away games they won't running out Barrett at Eden Park.
Anyway, some selection guesses:
6 Ioane
7 Papalii
8 Sotutu
9 Christie
10 Perofeta
11 Clarke
12 RTS
13 Ioane
14 Lam
15 SullivanWill be interesting to see if Sullivan gets any time at 10.
Just highlighted Lam because while everyone else is getting wraps, he's been quietly doing the roles asked of him to a very good standard.
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Rieko Ioane 5 years ago v the Rebels
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@Duluth hasn't been playing centre long enough, still needs to prove himself there.
Ennor at least has experience there.
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Pre game stats -
The Melbourne Rebels won their most recent Super Rugby match in New Zealand against the Blues (20-10, 2 June 2018).The Melbourne Rebels have made dominant contact on 28% of their total carries (257/914) in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, the best rate of any team in the competition; the Blues (26%) are ranked third in this category (Hurricanes – 27%).
The Blues have crossed the gainline on 66% of their total gainline carries (611/932) this Super Rugby Pacific season, the best rate of any team in the competition and 11 percentage points higher than the Melbourne Rebels (55%).
The Melbourne Rebels (168) and Blues (156) have gained the most and third most metres from mauls of any teams this Super Rugby Pacific season (Crusaders – 165).
Beauden Barrett (Blues) has made 11 kicks in play per 80 minutes this Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any player in the competition and five more than any Melbourne Rebels player in this category.
James Hanson (Melbourne Rebels) has crossed for five tries in his last five starts in Super Rugby competitions, including a brace of tries against Moana Pasifika in Round 11 of this Super Rugby Pacific season.
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PLAYERS OUT TO SHOW ALL THAT GLITTERS IS BLUE AT EDEN PARK — Blues Rugby
The Blues are firmly focussed on a performance of quality to celebrate their return home to Eden Park where they take on the Melbourne Rebels in DHL Super Rugby Pacific on Friday night. While they return from two wins across the Tasman, the team were not satisfied with the level of their performan
1. Jordan Lay (5)
2. Kurt Eklund (32)
3. Ofa Tuungafasi (115)
4. James Tucker (7)
5. Tom Robinson (40)
6. Akira Ioane (89)
7. Dalton Papalii© (52)
8. Hoskins Sotutu (31)
9. Finlay Christie (25)
10. Stephen Perofeta (39)
11. Caleb Clarke (33)
12. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (6)
13. Rieko Ioane (81)
14. Mark Telea (33)
15. Zarn Sullivan (13)16. Soane Vikena (10)
17. Karl Tu’inukuafe (37)
18. Nepo Laulala (19)
19. Sam Darry (13)
20. Adrian Choat (14)
21. Sam Nock (46)
22. Bryce Heem (15)
23. AJ Lam (16) -
Hopefully Vikena gets plenty of minutes
Telea must be under pressure after his drop in form.. and Lam has looked comfortable
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Players not considered: Harry Plummer, Luke Romano, Josh Goodhue, Beauden Barrett, Alex Hodgman
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Is RTS the backup fullback if Sullivan has to go to 1st 5?
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@Tim said in Blues v Rebels:
It's a work in progress at the moment. I've connected with Taranaki and Neil Barnes. My ambition is to stay. If my form dies off towards the end of the season or I'm not as consistent then overseas is a viable option but I'm more leaning towards staying in New Zealand as long as possible.
this is a huge quote for NZ rugby as a whole
I want to be an AB, but if my form drops off? I'll take the easier, and probably bigger pay off.
And we lose another player before they get to the finished article. Because your wages are dogshit unless you are an AB (relatively speaking)
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@Bovidae said in Blues v Rebels:
Is RTS the backup fullback if Sullivan has to go to 1st 5?
Maybe Lam?
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@Duluth Heem? He's good under the high ball at wing, and has a decent boot.
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I like that team.
Good to see Robinson at lock and good to see Vikena as the bench hooker.
As mentioned a bit of pressure on Telea.
Poor old RTS has to keep putting up with a different 10-12-13 combo every week.
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@Duluth said in Blues v Rebels:
Hopefully Vikena gets plenty of minutes
Telea must be under pressure after his drop in form.. and Lam has looked comfortable
Yea I thought Lam mightve been rewarded for his recent good form with another start.
Blues still don't trust JRK by the looks as that lineup suggests fullback/wing cover on the bench is needed. -
@Bovidae maybe RTS would benefit from having more time and space with the ball…. Also why is RTS a 12 and only a 12… who made that call. I think he’d do better at 13 or in the back three which would play to his strengths. Only reason everyone thinks he should be a 12 is because that’s the only gap in the blues team I guess.
I still think he’ll be a decent 12 and hopefully a decent international 12, if given the chance, but I’d hate to see him never have a proper go with more space out wide in union.
The reverse of the Jordie situation where he, and everyone outside the Canes, want to see what he can do at 12 but the Hurricanes need him at 15 so doesn’t get a proper crack.
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Injury clarifications:
Aside from Barrett, they are missing a couple of experienced second-rowers (Luke Romano and Josh Goodhue) and former All Black loosehead prop Alex Hodgman (elbow injury).
With veteran locks Luke Romano (rest) and Josh Goodhue (broken thumb) both out this week, the versatile Robinson pairs with James Tucker in the second row, while Sotutu links with Akira Ioane and skipper Dalton Papalii in a powerhouse loose trio.
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Would have preferred Lam, seems less error prone then Telea, can't wait to see that back row in action.
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Not fussed with Telea over Lam. Both have been very good this year and will both likely feature regularly until the end of the season.
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@Tim said in Blues v Rebels:
Some really good stuff in that article about Perofeta growing as a person and having to be more assertive and that helping his game. I could not agree more - you could tell by the way he used to play 10 that he would 'sit back' and not take control and this year he has much better at driving the team so to speak.
"We talk a lot ... funnily enough not about rugby ... it’s about who he is as a person that very much reflects the way he shows up on the field. He needs to be a big personality for us. When Stephen is involved in the game and he’s assertive, usually that means good things for this team. “We all remember that kick against the Chiefs from the sideline that put us ahead at home. That was on Stephen. He chose to take that kick and that’s something he didn’t do two years ago. He’s grown as a man, and we’re really proud of who he is as a person.” Halangahu even went as far as to suggest Perofeta had had to shrug of his natural personality to become an even better rugby player. “You guys know Stephen, he’s as humble as they come, and sometimes it almost holds his rugby back because he’ll let everyone else go first. What we’re seeing with him, he’s not necessarily growing his technical and tactical skills – he’s always had those – but Stephen is growing into a man his family are proud of, and who stands up and takes control when this team needs it.” -
Rebels
Matt Gibbon, James Hanson, Pone Fa'amausili, Matt Philip (c), Josh Canham, Brad Wilkin, Richard Hardwick, Rob Leota, Joe Powell, Carter Gordon, George Worth, Stacey Ili, Lukas Ripley, Andrew Kellaway, Reece Hodge
Reserves: Efi Ma'afu, Cameron Orr, Cabous Eloff, Daniel Maiava, Tamati Ioane, Moses Sorovi, Nick Jooste, Glen Vaihu
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'That hurts': Blues determined to avoid repeat of 2018 Rebels loss at Eden Park
Four years after suffering the ignominy of a home loss to the Rebels, the Blues are out to ensure history doesn't repeat itself on Friday.
2018 was the last time the Rebels played at Eden Park.
This was the last year Umaga was in control, it was a really rough year for home fans. I was lucky enough to attend all these games: Blues 2018 Home Matches
Here's the highlights of that match. The last play of the match from Michael Collins is special
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@Duluth I remember it well. You'll struggle to see a worse game of SR in your life than that one.
I'm sure it was reported on here that Blake Gibson and Rieko Ioane had a fight in the stands and Rieko Ioane got a black eye from it haha.
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Man those jerseys sucked.
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Collins was a special kind of terrible.
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The weather is glorious, been to the pub for a couple of lunchtime pints, going to be great weather for rugby at a (hopefully) packed Eden Park.
Carn the Blues! Statement performance incoming
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@nzzp said in Blues v Rebels:
The weather is glorious, been to the pub for a couple of lunchtime pints, going to be great weather for rugby at a (hopefully) packed Eden Park.
Carn the Blues! Statement performance incoming
so, slightly more sober, I'm a born bloody optimist. Hoping for a really good crowd, though, can't wait to get back to EP. I don't think I've been there this year for various reasons, despite having a season ticket.
Really keen to se how that loose forward trio performs, and how Perofeta goes at 10 with a coach and gameplan that seem to be suiting him. Anda 9 who can pass of course
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An hour before kickoff surprisingly quiet here. People slowly coming in
Glorious night for rugby, hardly any wind, cool not cold and no visible dew yet. Great to be back at live rugby
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@nzzp said in Blues v Rebels:
An hour before kickoff surprisingly quiet here.
It's the deep breath before the plunge.
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@kiwi_expat said in Blues v Rebels:
@nzzp said in Blues v Rebels:
An hour before kickoff surprisingly quiet here.
It's the deep breath before the plunge.
I am so amped, can't wait. Feels great here
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Robinson and Tucker might be competing for the same spot in the top 23. One is more of a lock/loosie the other a loosie/lock
Should be a good internal competition to watch
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Same poor start from Blues as last week.
