Blues 2018

[mariner4life]

@tim said in Blues 2018:

Is it weird that Blues players aren't playing club rugby for the second week in a row? (At least in the Auckland competition.)

https://www.sporty.co.nz/asset/downloadasset?id=e1baff71-87ea-405e-b3ad-a28540eff429

why would that Clubs want to risk catching that Blues virus?

[Duluth]

@tim said in Blues 2018:

Is it weird that Blues players aren't playing club rugby for the second week in a row? (At least in the Auckland competition.)

https://www.sporty.co.nz/asset/downloadasset?id=e1baff71-87ea-405e-b3ad-a28540eff429

Its probably because of this:

Blues Rugby

The official home of the Blues rugby team. Buy tickets and merchandise, get the latest news, view results and go behind-the-scenes with our players.

The Blues along with the provincial teams from Northland, North Harbour and Auckland, will take part in a special Backyard Battle at Mahurangi Rugby Club on Wednesday 20 June.

All four teams will play continuously on the two grounds over three periods of 30 minutes. They will swap opposition after each 30-minute spell.

[Northlandallday]

@duluth and unlike many other squads that were given a good week or two off, the Blues have trained through. I do wonder if the players are tired rather than refreshed. Winners get time off, losers have to keep chugging.

[antipodean]

the Blues are now training?

[taniwharugby]

@antipodean yep, getting some early 2019 training done.

[Tim]

Format for tonight's practice games:

Backyard Battle
NZ Vikings v Blues / Harbour /Auckland
Wednesday 20th June 2018
6:30pm @ Mahurangi Rugby Club

Field A

6.30pm - Blues v Auckland
7.10pm - Blues v North Harbour
7.50pm - Blues v NZ Vikings

Field B

NZ Vikings v North Harbour
Auckland v NZ Vikings
Auckland v North Harbour

Game format:

6.30pm NZ Vikings v North Harbour - 30 minutes
7.10pm NZ Vikings v Auckland - 30 minutes
7.50pm NZ Vikings v Blues - 30 minutes

Weather is shite, so I certainly won't be going.

[Stargazer]

@tim Have the Blues and Harbour named a team? I've only seen squad lists from Auckland and Northland.

[Tim]

@stargazer Not that I've seen.

[taniwharugby]

@tim ha fucking water rugby tonight. I haven't been to that ground for decades so assume their drainage is decent now

[Tim]

Via @taniwharugby

(It's wet ...)

Video

[taniwharugby]

@tim expect holding a camera and umbrella doesnt help with the filming either haha

[Tim]

First 30 min match over:

[Tim]

Auckland 7 - 0 over the Northland XV. A lot of scrums in that one. Auckland No. 8 took it ahead pretty well from the back of the scrum.

[Tim]

[taniwharugby]

@tim 90 minutes, 3 tries, 2 conversions...wouldnt of been much fun out there for anyone

[Tim]

Kaino to reach 137 caps in his last game at Eden Park

Kaino equals Tony Woodcock’s mark of 137 caps for the Blues in his last game on his beloved Eden Park against the Reds, the team that he made his Super Rugby debut 15 years ago.

[Kirwan]

Might have to get a long for that one.

[Tim]

@kirwan Not a bad idea.

[taniwharugby]

@tim although the Blues have the chance to set another, more uneviable record on that night too...

[Tim]

Tumua Manu has been released to play club rugby this weekend. Any other Blues players doing the same?