Hurricanes v Blues

Kirwan

@Kirwan said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@Hooroo said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@Kirwan said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@KiwiMurph said in Hurricanes v Blues:

The Blues have lost their last 25 away NZ derby games. Underdogs.

That truly is an awful stat.

I don't think we are going to win this, but I thought the same against the Stormers. Seems to be that sort of competition this year.

If we do win, that cements that the Blues have turned a corner.

That's 6 years without a win away in NZ? That is surprising

Tana was coach for three years, so there is half the time Kirwan was not much better.

Does that go back as far as Pat Lam or just Tana and Kirwan?

Lam made the semis, then had a horror run with injuries (Kaino ended up at lock).

Hooroo

@Kirwan said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@Hooroo said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@Kirwan said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@Hooroo said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@Kirwan said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@KiwiMurph said in Hurricanes v Blues:

The Blues have lost their last 25 away NZ derby games. Underdogs.

That truly is an awful stat.

I don't think we are going to win this, but I thought the same against the Stormers. Seems to be that sort of competition this year.

If we do win, that cements that the Blues have turned a corner.

That's 6 years without a win away in NZ? That is surprising

Tana was coach for three years, so there is half the time Kirwan was not much better.

Does that go back as far as Pat Lam or just Tana and Kirwan?

Lam made the semis, then had a horror run with injuries (Kaino ended up at lock).

I meant in terms of timing. I can't remember how long Kirwan was in the job for. Either way, it's a shocker of a run.

Looking at the way your lot are playing now, I imagine that will be easily ended this season? Who do you have to play away once BB is back? Chiefs and Highlanders?

Kirwan

@Hooroo said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@Kirwan said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@Hooroo said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@Kirwan said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@Hooroo said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@Kirwan said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@KiwiMurph said in Hurricanes v Blues:

The Blues have lost their last 25 away NZ derby games. Underdogs.

That truly is an awful stat.

I don't think we are going to win this, but I thought the same against the Stormers. Seems to be that sort of competition this year.

If we do win, that cements that the Blues have turned a corner.

That's 6 years without a win away in NZ? That is surprising

Tana was coach for three years, so there is half the time Kirwan was not much better.

Does that go back as far as Pat Lam or just Tana and Kirwan?

Lam made the semis, then had a horror run with injuries (Kaino ended up at lock).

I meant in terms of timing. I can't remember how long Kirwan was in the job for. Either way, it's a shocker of a run.

Looking at the way your lot are playing now, I imagine that will be easily ended this season? Who do you have to play away once BB is back? Chiefs and Highlanders?

oh, I think Kirwan was three years too, and Leon has had one. So Lam is the distant past now.

Yes, the away game against the Highlanders is the target to kill this stat.

taniwharugby

@Kirwan only need to look at the table now, presently have to be one of the more even comps?

4 points separates 1st place (Stormers and 8th place Blues - who, as we know beat the stormers on the weekend)

NZ Conference even tighter with 'saders on top with 14, 'canes, Chiefs, Blues all 13 and Highlanders 5, although all those teams bar the blues have a game in hand.

Hooroo

@taniwharugby said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@Kirwan only need to look at the table now, presently have to be one of the more even comps?

4 points separates 1st place (Stormers and 8th place Blues - who, as we know beat the stormers on the weekend)

I can't wait until they get rid of the stupid Pool ranking system. 5 teams that should be ahead of the Brumbies and two teams that should be ahead of the Crusaders

taniwharugby

@Hooroo

Hooroo

@taniwharugby said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@Hooroo

Pedant alert

I appreciate what you have done but it's not correct. Chiefs over Blues as we have beaten them and Hurricanes above chiefs due to points diff.

KiwiMurph

@Hooroo said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@Kirwan said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@Hooroo said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@Kirwan said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@KiwiMurph said in Hurricanes v Blues:

The Blues have lost their last 25 away NZ derby games. Underdogs.

That truly is an awful stat.

I don't think we are going to win this, but I thought the same against the Stormers. Seems to be that sort of competition this year.

If we do win, that cements that the Blues have turned a corner.

That's 6 years without a win away in NZ? That is surprising

Tana was coach for three years, so there is half the time Kirwan was not much better.

Does that go back as far as Pat Lam or just Tana and Kirwan?

Blues last away win vs NZ team was the first game of Kirwan's tenure - round 1 2013. Against Canes. Lam finished in 2012.

taniwharugby

@Hooroo meh, I only did it based on total points and then points diff...Chiefs and 'canes have a game in hand too...

fluffyfulla!

Bones

Sorry Blues, but I tipped you. Payback!

African Monkey

@KiwiMurph Haha then we hammered the Crusaders the next week and everyone thought we were heading back to the glory days. We ended up winning 4 more games that year.....

Canes4life

@African-Monkey was that the game that Moala had a blinder and scored that brilliant try from a cross kick?

antipodean

@taniwharugby said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@Hooroo

Four games in and the Sunwolves have a negative points differential of over a hundred.

mariner4life

@antipodean said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@taniwharugby said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@Hooroo

Four games in and the Sunwolves have a negative points differential of over a hundred.

and that includes one good win

African Monkey

@Canes4life Yup that's the one. Chris Noakes was our 10 that day as well so miracles can happen from time to time...

KiwiMurph

@African-Monkey said in Hurricanes v Blues:

@Canes4life Yup that's the one. Chris Noakes was our 10 that day as well so miracles can happen from time to time...

This was a big reason for the fade throughout that season....

Canes4life

@African-Monkey Wasn't it Baden Kerr??

African Monkey

@Canes4life He was backup.

African Monkey

@KiwiMurph He was virtually a left footed Simon Hickey. Tidy enough who did the basics ok but waaaaaay too slow to cut it at the top level.

Duluth

15 Stephen Perofeta, 14 Joe Marchant, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 TJ Faiane, 11 Mark Telea, 10 Otere Black, 9 Sam Nock; 8 Akira Ioane, 7 Blake Gibson, 6 Tom Robinson, 5 Jacob Pierce, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu (c), 3 Ofa Tuungafasi, 2 Kurt Eklund, 1 Karl Tu’inukuafe.

Reserves: 16 James Parsons, 17 Ezekiel Lindenmuth, 18 Sione Mafileo, 19 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 20 Tony Lamborn, 21 Jonathan Ruru, 22 Harry Plummer, 23 Matt Duffie

https://blues.rugby/developing-depth-after-trek-back-from-south-africa/

The Blues will call on their depth after a short week and long trek from South Africa to take on the Hurricanes in Wellington on Saturday in Investec Super Rugby.

Coach Leon MacDonald said that a key finding from last year was that a number of the squad dropped their intensity after playing too many minutes week-in, week-out.

Accordingly, loose forward Hoskins Sotutu, 21, have been spelled this week with Blake Gibson given his third start and Akira Ioane his first start of the season.

“At the beginning of the season I said that we would select on form, and that we over-played some players last year and their form dropped off as a result,” said MacDonald.

“Hoskins was selected at No 8 on form and has played exceptionally well for us. Equally Akira has been training hard. He is in terrific shape and raring to go now that he has his chance.”

Meanwhile Dalton Papalii will miss the game as he sits out his first mandatory All Black break.

“We are blessed right now in terms of loose forwards with Blake Gibson able to start at seven and with Tony Lamborn to provide the thrust off the bench.”

All Black Ofa Tu’ungafasi swaps with Sione Mafileo in the starting line-up, while James Parsons, who returns from injury, and Ezekiel Lindenmuth, come into the reserves. There is excitement within the squad with North Harbour’s Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, a key forward in the 2019 campaign, returning off the bench after successful rehabilitation from a pec muscle rupture in the Mitre-10 Cup.

The backline remains unchanged after a sparkling display against the Stormers where Otere Black was impressive in guiding play from first-five.

“We enjoyed an excellent two weeks in South Africa but with some unexpected disruption travelling home has meant we will only get a couple of on-field training sessions this week, “said MacDonald.

“That’s not ideal but we will do our best to test our ability to be a more consistently competitive combination.”

The Blues return home to host the Lions at Eden Park next Saturday, with the game brought forward to 4.25pm to assist the Sunwolves who have been forced to move their home games to Australia.

The Blues A team play their Hurricanes counterparts in Wellington on Saturday at 1pm at Evans Bay.

The Silver Fern

Hurricanes v Blues