Blues vs. Chiefs 2026
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@sparky said in Blues vs. Chiefs 2026:
Do those competitions have duff games too? Yes. Clearly they aren't champagne rugby all the time.
Is the average or best standard of those competitions better than this game? I'd say yes too.
Cool thanks man. NZR will be in touch.
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Anyway I thought the game was ok . It was first up match, and looked like it to me. Take a couple of games to get the bugs out of system, well I reckon and it same in most rugby comps I watch .
Things looked a bit clinky, but I have seen worse games.
Toss up between Vai'i and Tupaea for me as the best out there for me. I did think Ahki could turn out to be pretty reasonable get for Blues, he looks like he can shore up their midfield. I did think perofeta did what Perofeta usually does in my mind, looked reasonably average, I said I never reall saw him as the first choice at 10 for the Naki, and in this game he didn't do much to change my mind. Will be ineterested to keep an aya on that Blues No 6. -
@Bones Games like that are exactly why the rest of the rugby world outside NZ and Australia sees Super Rugby as anything but super.
@sparky said in Blues vs. Chiefs 2026:
@Bones Games like that are exactly why the rest of the rugby world outside NZ and Australia sees Super Rugby as anything but super.
Understand your point as some from rest of world will pick on an average game to run down the comp. I watch a fair bit of stuff from up north and while I enjoy quite a few, there is plenty I think are pretty average. The French top 14 is quite hard to get a quality game from and, the games from English premiership have a good number where it get's a bit hard to watch also. And most of rest of world wouldn't think top 14 is top rugby, or premiership is premier rugby etc.
Bottom line is games we got interest in are what we watch and have more interest in. -
Anyway I thought the game was ok . It was first up match, and looked like it to me. Take a couple of games to get the bugs out of system, well I reckon and it same in most rugby comps I watch .
Things looked a bit clinky, but I have seen worse games.
Toss up between Vai'i and Tupaea for me as the best out there for me. I did think Ahki could turn out to be pretty reasonable get for Blues, he looks like he can shore up their midfield. I did think perofeta did what Perofeta usually does in my mind, looked reasonably average, I said I never reall saw him as the first choice at 10 for the Naki, and in this game he didn't do much to change my mind. Will be ineterested to keep an aya on that Blues No 6.@Dan54 said in Blues vs. Chiefs 2026:
Anyway I thought the game was ok . It was first up match, and looked like it to me. Take a couple of games to get the bugs out of system, well I reckon and it same in most rugby comps I watch .
Things looked a bit clinky, but I have seen worse games.
Toss up between Vai'i and Tupaea for me as the best out there for me. I did think Ahki could turn out to be pretty reasonable get for Blues, he looks like he can shore up their midfield. I did think perofeta did what Perofeta usually does in my mind, looked reasonably average, I said I never reall saw him as the first choice at 10 for the Naki, and in this game he didn't do much to change my mind. Will be ineterested to keep an aya on that Blues No 6.Agree somewhat.
I thought both 10s were pretty average but neither got great service from their 9s.
Points off Vaa'i for the Chiefs poor lineout.
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@Dan54 said in Blues vs. Chiefs 2026:
Anyway I thought the game was ok . It was first up match, and looked like it to me. Take a couple of games to get the bugs out of system, well I reckon and it same in most rugby comps I watch .
Things looked a bit clinky, but I have seen worse games.
Toss up between Vai'i and Tupaea for me as the best out there for me. I did think Ahki could turn out to be pretty reasonable get for Blues, he looks like he can shore up their midfield. I did think perofeta did what Perofeta usually does in my mind, looked reasonably average, I said I never reall saw him as the first choice at 10 for the Naki, and in this game he didn't do much to change my mind. Will be ineterested to keep an aya on that Blues No 6.Agree somewhat.
I thought both 10s were pretty average but neither got great service from their 9s.
Points off Vaa'i for the Chiefs poor lineout.
@brodean said in Blues vs. Chiefs 2026:
@Dan54 said in Blues vs. Chiefs 2026:
Anyway I thought the game was ok . It was first up match, and looked like it to me. Take a couple of games to get the bugs out of system, well I reckon and it same in most rugby comps I watch .
Things looked a bit clinky, but I have seen worse games.
Toss up between Vai'i and Tupaea for me as the best out there for me. I did think Ahki could turn out to be pretty reasonable get for Blues, he looks like he can shore up their midfield. I did think perofeta did what Perofeta usually does in my mind, looked reasonably average, I said I never reall saw him as the first choice at 10 for the Naki, and in this game he didn't do much to change my mind. Will be ineterested to keep an aya on that Blues No 6.Agree somewhat.
I thought both 10s were pretty average but neither got great service from their 9s.
Points off Vaa'i for the Chiefs poor lineout.
I thought their lineout was ok apart from when Samisoni decided to used some dodgy throws, that regardless of calls, almost looked like he got confused and just chucked them.
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If I had to isolate a single factor for each team it would how poor Nock was when he came on, and how crafty Vaai was.
His highlight for me was waiting for the ref to call use it before wrapping up the ball in that crucial maul.
I liked how our forwards went, Dalton was huge out there, we looked strong. New hookers looked really good.
Backs had similar problems to last year, not taking advantage of the possession and territory the forwards got them.
Is O’Halloran a handbrake?
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If I had to isolate a single factor for each team it would how poor Nock was when he came on, and how crafty Vaai was.
His highlight for me was waiting for the ref to call use it before wrapping up the ball in that crucial maul.
I liked how our forwards went, Dalton was huge out there, we looked strong. New hookers looked really good.
Backs had similar problems to last year, not taking advantage of the possession and territory the forwards got them.
Is O’Halloran a handbrake?
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@Kirwan said in Blues vs. Chiefs 2026:
If I had to isolate a single factor for each team it would how poor Nock was when he came on, and how crafty Vaai was.
Darry and Ofa were going well too. Their replacements were fine but just not at the same level
@Duluth said in Blues vs. Chiefs 2026:
@Kirwan said in Blues vs. Chiefs 2026:
If I had to isolate a single factor for each team it would how poor Nock was when he came on, and how crafty Vaai was.
Darry and Ofa were going well too. Their replacements were fine but just not at the same level
Yeah, true. But nothing like the drop off for when Nock came on. I know it’s not cool to point this out, but the ginger half back is a very good player
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A couple of long throws were the problem for ST. The not straight was no worse than one of Slater's throws. Both lineouts were at 80%.
@Bovidae said in Blues vs. Chiefs 2026:
A couple of long throws were the problem for ST. The not straight was no worse than one of Slater's throws. Both lineouts were at 80%.
Yeah the difference is Taukei’aho, Vaa'i, and Lord were all All Blacks last year vs none in the Blues.
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@Duluth said in Blues vs. Chiefs 2026:
@Kirwan said in Blues vs. Chiefs 2026:
If I had to isolate a single factor for each team it would how poor Nock was when he came on, and how crafty Vaai was.
Darry and Ofa were going well too. Their replacements were fine but just not at the same level
Yeah, true. But nothing like the drop off for when Nock came on. I know it’s not cool to point this out, but the ginger half back is a very good player
@Kirwan said in Blues vs. Chiefs 2026:
@Duluth said in Blues vs. Chiefs 2026:
@Kirwan said in Blues vs. Chiefs 2026:
If I had to isolate a single factor for each team it would how poor Nock was when he came on, and how crafty Vaai was.
Darry and Ofa were going well too. Their replacements were fine but just not at the same level
Yeah, true. But nothing like the drop off for when Nock came on. I know it’s not cool to point this out, but the ginger half back is a very good player
Yeah nah, Christie was stuffing things up as well. He's a major handbreak. The backline looked so much better with Funaki and Plummer back in 2024.
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Oddly, up until just prior to Nock letting that maul go, I thought the blues ruck ball was looking quicker than it had been, but after that moment, she all turned to custard for him.
Christie is poor, nock is still a step down.
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Well, rubbish game overall I thought, lots of rust but to be expected in round 1. I thought both defences were pretty decent. The last try to Ratima was a thing of beauty. The lineout maul that was turned over was the turning point for the Blues which rolled into Nock being an idiot.
Gotta say that's probably the most lively I've heard a Blues crowd in a while, every other time I've been they're pretty quiet. Did have one fella near me who was giving it back to me but at the end wasn't happy with me cheering loudly and talking some light shit then said something along the lines of "you need to learn how to behave at the game."
Anyway, up the Chiefs.
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That really wasn't a looker. The quality was much lower than HEC and lower than Top 14, URC or Gallagher Premiership. If that's really the best NZ Rugby can offer, we're in trouble.
Chiefs won't care though. Winning ugly is still winning.
@sparky said in Blues vs. Chiefs 2026:
That really wasn't a looker. The quality was much lower than HEC and lower than Top 14, URC or Gallagher Premiership. If that's really the best NZ Rugby can offer, we're in trouble.
I've seen some utter dross in those competitions too. Let's wait more than a week into the comp before declaring that the best NZ rugby can offer.
Not too long ago NH scribes would've been hailing it a defensive masterclass, not this tackling optional stuff...
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And for love of god, can someone in NZ start coaching passing in front of a player? The amount of attack ruined by players having to stop, or jump for a pass, or passes just going into touch.
Maddening
@Kirwan said in Blues vs. Chiefs 2026:
And for love of god, can someone in NZ start coaching passing in front of a player? The amount of attack ruined by players having to stop, or jump for a pass, or passes just going into touch.
Maddening
Consistent demonstration that I'm not just a grumpy old man, but basic skills have regressed. Watching old games and backlines looked magnificent running onto balls that were placed in front of them at chest height. Now it seems like half of them are having to stop to catch a ball thrown behind their shoulder.
