@Bones said in Blues 2020:

Is that every 16yo rugby player in Auckland?

@taniwharugby

Some players to look out for in the Blues Colts or Dev Team:

Soane Vikena
Taufa Funaki
Zarn Sullivan
Lemeki Namoa
Rob Cobb

Freedom Vaha’akolo and AJ Lam are a couple of others.

Any NZ sour or saison recommendations?

I had a couple of bottles of Alligatoren Raspberry Sour from Matakana recently. Nice drop.

Leon MacDonald said on Radio Sport that they wanted Sione Havili, but he chose the Crusaders.

@Daffy-Jaffy MacDonald said that they wanted Sione Havili, but he chose the Crusaders. Bugger.

So what's your first choice XXIII?

1. Karl T
2. Parsons
3. Ofa T
4. Tuipulotu
5. Pierce
6. Robinson
7. Papalii
8. Ioane
9. Christie
10. Barrett/Plummer
11. Ioane
12. Faiane
13. Marchant
14. Narawa
15. Perofeta

Reserves:

16. Niuia
17. Hodgman
18. Renata (Thought he went well in NPC in the scrum)
19. Tucker/GCT
20. Gibson
21. Nock
22. Tele'a/Plummer
23. Duffie/Telea

Hooker and Lock are hard to pick, as are the lock and loose forward reserve. Hopefully there's a healthy level of rotation. Uncertainty over fullback. Wouldn't be surprised to see Marchant and Ioane swap places.

@Jonty-lean I think they have better players signed to be honest.

Six locks explained?

The absence of several others is also likely to be keenly felt. Tough lock Scott Scrafton has signed with the Hurricanes and the Blues may lack a bit of depth in his area early in the season, with All Black Patrick Tuipulotu a possibility to start a little later and Gerard Cowley-Tuioti recovering from a shoulder injury.