Blues v Highlanders
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With the only injury doubt around loose forward Adrian Choat who went for scans on his shoulder, and with No 8 Hoskins Sotutu set to sit out the regular season finale under All Blacks protocols, MacDonald indicated he would like to bring back Barrett from his cut heel.
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Plenty of time to talk about next season in the months ahead (in truth, probably starting next week) but if we are to extend our season for another week, what team lines up against the Blues?
Props:
EDG and Ainsley start, DLB and Ma'u to come off the bench - that won't change.Hookers:
Makalio and Marshall, doesn't matter which way around they are, though after last week's lineouts, I'd lean towards starting Marshall.Locks:
Very much injury dependent. Will Tucker is back, but I'm not sure he should come into the equation. Dickson starts next to Parkinson if he is fit for mine, if not Hicks gets the run. I would continue with two loosies on the bench.Loose Forwards:
Though I thought Frizell was poor last week, I wouldn't change the make up of the loose forwards.Halfbacks:
Though I'd be tempted to start Fakatava, I think Smith will get the nod, and probably should considering the midfield chaos...First Five:
Freddie - Best game by a Landers 10 in a while last weekMidfielders/Outside Backs:
The injury to Gilbert has really muddied the waters here. Looked a broken wrist, so hard to see him playing this week. Hunt definitely starts at fullback after last week, and Nareki joins them, but it is tough to pick the rest.If fit, TUJ plays, but considering he had compression things on both his calves, looked a little more than just a niggle. If he isn't fit, Whaanga gets the nod. These two can't play together as they are simply too slow. That leaves one midfield slot, and Paea and Gregory are the only two fit 'midfielders'. They seem to have moved on from Paea, and I'd like to make a formal apology about some of my Gregory claims last week. He isn't close to being up to scratch in the midfield, which leaves the Landers in a sticky spot.
I strongly doubt we will do it, but I think we should take the risk, and chuck either Nareki, Lowe or Bogado into the midfield. We are going to need some pace, or else Ioane and Telea will burn us on the outside channel like they did in R1, and the Chiefs also managed. Nareki and Lowe have both played 13 in club rugby I believe, no idea about Bogado, though he looks the most suited as a straight swap for Gilbert. Hard to see it, especially as he wasn't even deemed good enough for the bench last week, but I'd go with it nonetheless.
Just leaves the 14 spot to be filled, and despite how poor he was last week, I think Lowe is a superior option on the wing to everyone else who is fit and available. CGB added good energy last week, but we have seen it several times before, he is too slow to play on the wing, and is suspect defensively. If we are dropping Lowe, I'd begrudgingly chuck Gregory there.
MY TEAM FOR THIS WEEK:
- EDG
- Marshall
- Ainsley
- Parkinson
- Dickson/Hicks
- Frizell
- Harmon
- Renton
- Smith
- Burns
- Nareki
- Bogado
- TUJ/Whaanga
- Lowe
- Hunt
- Makalio
- DLB
- Ma'u
- MMT
- Withy
- Fakatava
- CGB
- Gregory
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@Stargazer i can see how he could work in the centres, he's pretty solid in contact so could get some good front foot ball
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So if the Blues win this they finish 3rd
The Highlanders are currently 8th. So they need to win to make the quarter or hope that the Force, Drua and Rebels all lose. These teams are 1-2 points behind
Force at home v Chiefs
Drua at home vs the Reds
Rebels away to Brumbies -
@Kirwan said in Blues v Highlanders:
Clan should finish 8th regardless then.
All of those games are good chances of going the other way.
Chiefs might be putting out a B side, Drua in Fiji are strong & Rebels are in good form now and only lost to the Brumbies by 7 points last month
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@Tim said in Blues v Highlanders:
With the only injury doubt around loose forward Adrian Choat who went for scans on his shoulder, and with No 8 Hoskins Sotutu set to sit out the regular season finale under All Blacks protocols, MacDonald indicated he would like to bring back Barrett from his cut heel.
If Choat is out I guess it's a Papali'i/Segner/Ioane trio? Maybe Robinson on the bench?
Heem or Plummer at 12?
Sullivan or Perofeta at fullback?Heem & Sullivan would be my pick. Give Perofeta ~30mins from the bench at 10
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@Kirwan said in Blues v Highlanders:
Segnar plays pretty similar to Choat
Yeah he would probably start at 7. No specialist openside for the bench
A lot more 6's than 8's. No 8 options would be Ioane, Suafoa, Plumtree? Suafoa probably needed at lock.
Ioane at 8 could be interesting with the new scrum law for the halfback. Robinson at 6.If we are missing all these loosies then the Highlanders would be smart to keep using 2 loosies on the bench
