Blues 2021
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@Steven-Harris Leni Apisai is training with the team, so I guess he's third hooker. Hope his throwing has improved. There's the young guy from Hawkes Bay who might be available. How about Olsen?
@Tim think Olsens age (28ish?) probably works against him and while I dont think he turned out for them, he was named in the Canadian squad in 2019.
But I think he would to a good job if given the chance
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@Steven-Harris Leni Apisai is training with the team, so I guess he's third hooker. Hope his throwing has improved. There's the young guy from Hawkes Bay who might be available. How about Olsen?
@Tim It would be great if Kereru-Symes got a chance, even if he has a queue in front of him. He suffers from being stuck behind Ash Dixon in the Magpies squad, but he was one of the few players who performed well in the NZ U20s team that he captained. Parsons rated him when he replaced him in the squad, last year. Turns 22 end of Feb.
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@Steven-Harris Leni Apisai is training with the team, so I guess he's third hooker. Hope his throwing has improved. There's the young guy from Hawkes Bay who might be available. How about Olsen?
@Tim said in Blues 2021:
Leni Apisai is training with the team, so I guess he's third hooker. Hope his throwing has improved.
You'd assume so. They've had plenty of hookers at training so I can't see them going outside that group. I doubt the Parsons call was a surprise..
So Eklund, Tolai and Apisai?
When are full squad members Niuia or Vikena meant to be over their injuries?
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@Tim said in Blues 2021:
Leni Apisai is training with the team, so I guess he's third hooker. Hope his throwing has improved.
You'd assume so. They've had plenty of hookers at training so I can't see them going outside that group. I doubt the Parsons call was a surprise..
So Eklund, Tolai and Apisai?
When are full squad members Niuia or Vikena meant to be over their injuries?
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Not sure whether anyone has already posted this, but here's a link to the headshots:
https://www.gettyimages.co.nz/photos/blues-rugby-2021?events=775600751&family=editorial&phrase=blues rugby 2021&sort=best#licenseDidn't realise George Dyer was in the wtg and players I don't know or remember are Fatongia Paea, Teague McElroy and Marco Fepulea'i.
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Not sure whether anyone has already posted this, but here's a link to the headshots:
https://www.gettyimages.co.nz/photos/blues-rugby-2021?events=775600751&family=editorial&phrase=blues rugby 2021&sort=best#licenseDidn't realise George Dyer was in the wtg and players I don't know or remember are Fatongia Paea, Teague McElroy and Marco Fepulea'i.
@Stargazer Hamdahn Tuipulotu was training with the squad but is missing from those photos so Dyer may be replacing him in the wtg. Maybe Tuipulotu has picked up an injury?
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@KiwiMurph I hope he has a future as a commentator, although I wonder if some of his more interesting stuff comes from being a player, he also can discuss and explain modern preparation, tactics, and stats much more clearly than, well, pretty much everyone else out there.
@gt12 said in Blues 2021:
@KiwiMurph I hope he has a future as a commentator, although I wonder if some of his more interesting stuff comes from being a player, he also can discuss and explain modern preparation, tactics, and stats much more clearly than, well, pretty much everyone else out there.
If the commentary career doesn’t work out he can do the next best thing and join the Fern and share his insights here.
James we know you are lurking...
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@gt12 said in Blues 2021:
@KiwiMurph I hope he has a future as a commentator, although I wonder if some of his more interesting stuff comes from being a player, he also can discuss and explain modern preparation, tactics, and stats much more clearly than, well, pretty much everyone else out there.
If the commentary career doesn’t work out he can do the next best thing and join the Fern and share his insights here.
James we know you are lurking...
@ACT-Crusader Lets be honest here a lot of players do lol.
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If the Blues are looking to replace James Parson , personally I would prefer if they used a hooker from one the 3 unions that’s part of the franchise ..wether it be Leni Apasai (Auckland ) ,Luteru Tolai ( North Harbour )or Jordon Olsen (Northland )let’s make the provincial teams that are part of the Blues stronger and let’s not be in the business of helping other unions keep players on their books .
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If the Blues are looking to replace James Parson , personally I would prefer if they used a hooker from one the 3 unions that’s part of the franchise ..wether it be Leni Apasai (Auckland ) ,Luteru Tolai ( North Harbour )or Jordon Olsen (Northland )let’s make the provincial teams that are part of the Blues stronger and let’s not be in the business of helping other unions keep players on their books .
@Steven-Harris said in Blues 2021:
If the Blues are looking to replace James Parson , personally I would prefer if they used a hooker from one the 3 unions that’s part of the franchise ..wether it be Leni Apasai (Auckland ) ,Luteru Tolai ( North Harbour )or Jordon Olsen (Northland )let’s make the provincial teams that are part of the Blues stronger and let’s not be in the business of helping other unions keep players on their books .
Could you pass these thoughts on to the Hurricanes?
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@Tim that token dive by Marshall about 2 mins in always cracks me up.
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@Tim Were those tries actually that stunning? In the first Crusaders one he went through the defensive wall that is Aaron "traffic director" Mauger and Ben "the Hobbit" Blair and then in a later Crusaders one he pivoted past an invisible man and then barrelled through the Hobbit.
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I don't know if the tries were necessarily stunning in and of themselves, so much as the athleticism and skill he showed. He is outpacing international wings in 4th gear, changing direction on a dime despite not being the slimmest of blokes. And to be able to pass to another outside back, run around them and still be in a supporting position to score the try is pretty impressive.
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I don't know if the tries were necessarily stunning in and of themselves, so much as the athleticism and skill he showed. He is outpacing international wings in 4th gear, changing direction on a dime despite not being the slimmest of blokes. And to be able to pass to another outside back, run around them and still be in a supporting position to score the try is pretty impressive.
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@bobily2 His ability to change direction without barely slowing down may not have looked that spectacular, but it was absolutely devestating, and made him unstoppable in 2003.
@Tim said in Blues 2021:
@bobily2 His ability to change direction without barely slowing down may not have looked that spectacular, but it was absolutely devestating, and made him unstoppable in 2003.
That was also one of Cullen's greatest assets too.
To clarify, I think the he and the tries were stunning, just couldn't resist the chance to get a dig in on the Suitcase, The Hobbit, and the Traffic Conductor.
