Blues 2022

Chris B.

@muddyriver said in Blues 2022:

Who can beat the Australian teams the most.

Sounds like an immensely worthwhile competition to me! I wonder if it could be expanded to other spheres?

nostrildamus

@chris said in Blues 2022:

@nostrildamus said in Blues 2022:

@chris said in Blues 2022:

@african-monkey said in Blues 2022:

@chris As @chchfanatic said, your crew knew what to do and fucked it up. No ones fault but your own.

Totally agree we fucked up,That doesn't turn the comp into a true competition.
Thats my point not about the Blues not deserving to win.
My point being the Competition format was seriously flawed

And yet the Crusaders still entered the comp.
I did not know they were unaware of the bonus points system or that they would not play every team. So unfair. I feel sorry for them now.
You do also realize the Boks fans will now seize on your logic to deny the All Blacks one RWC win, don't you? Mark Keohane will just love you.

Great bloke is Mark Keohane he makes me laugh whenever he writes shit.
Nothing to do with who won that comp not what I was saying .
I repeat stupid competition were you don’t play half the teams is not a true competition.
That was the point of the post not a Serve at the Blues but at the format of the competition.
But I understand the Blues have not won anything for a while so the competition is being defended.
But deep down you know like everyone really does it was a Mickey Mouse comp.

if you go back you will see I only entered this thread to defend Crusaders from being called discards.

Chris

@nostrildamus said in Blues 2022:

@chris said in Blues 2022:

@nostrildamus said in Blues 2022:

@chris said in Blues 2022:

@african-monkey said in Blues 2022:

@chris As @chchfanatic said, your crew knew what to do and fucked it up. No ones fault but your own.

Totally agree we fucked up,That doesn't turn the comp into a true competition.
Thats my point not about the Blues not deserving to win.
My point being the Competition format was seriously flawed

And yet the Crusaders still entered the comp.
I did not know they were unaware of the bonus points system or that they would not play every team. So unfair. I feel sorry for them now.
You do also realize the Boks fans will now seize on your logic to deny the All Blacks one RWC win, don't you? Mark Keohane will just love you.

Great bloke is Mark Keohane he makes me laugh whenever he writes shit.
Nothing to do with who won that comp not what I was saying .
I repeat stupid competition were you don’t play half the teams is not a true competition.
That was the point of the post not a Serve at the Blues but at the format of the competition.
But I understand the Blues have not won anything for a while so the competition is being defended.
But deep down you know like everyone really does it was a Mickey Mouse comp.

if you go back you will see I only entered this thread to defend Crusaders from being called discards.

Haha True.

Crazy Horse

@nostrildamus said in Blues 2022:

@chris said in Blues 2022:

@african-monkey said in Blues 2022:

@chris As @chchfanatic said, your crew knew what to do and fucked it up. No ones fault but your own.

Totally agree we fucked up,That doesn't turn the comp into a true competition.
Thats my point not about the Blues not deserving to win.
My point being the Competition format was seriously flawed

And yet the Crusaders still entered the comp.
I did not know they were unaware of the bonus points system or that they would not play every team. So unfair. I feel sorry for them now.
You do also realize the Boks fans will now seize on your logic to deny the All Blacks one RWC win, don't you? Mark Keohane will just love you.

I don't give a crap either way, but I do find it amusing many are saying tough shit the Crusaders knew the rules, yet in another thread many (the same many?) lamented the rule that 'awarded' the Cricket World Cup to England. Surely the Black Caps knew the rules so it's tough titties to them too?

Billy Tell

Be interesting to see how this pans out. Left Ireland on a low (yet another ¼ final exit) and several players hinted they were happy to see the back of him (obsessive compulsive attention to detail, snuffed out all creativity, withering post-match criticism of players). Could be a master stroke though.

junior

@billy-tell said in Blues 2022:

Be interesting to see how this pans out. Left Ireland on a low (yet another ¼ final exit) and several players hinted they were happy to see the back of him (obsessive compulsive attention to detail, snuffed out all creativity, withering post-match criticism of players). Could be a master stroke though.

He won't be the head coach though, so very unlikely that he will be calling out players in the post-match press conferences. Also, those Irish are very sensitive souls, so I can see how maybe his calling out those guys may have a more detrimental impact

nostrildamus

@crazy-horse said in Blues 2022:

@nostrildamus said in Blues 2022:

@chris said in Blues 2022:

@african-monkey said in Blues 2022:

@chris As @chchfanatic said, your crew knew what to do and fucked it up. No ones fault but your own.

Totally agree we fucked up,That doesn't turn the comp into a true competition.
Thats my point not about the Blues not deserving to win.
My point being the Competition format was seriously flawed

And yet the Crusaders still entered the comp.
I did not know they were unaware of the bonus points system or that they would not play every team. So unfair. I feel sorry for them now.
You do also realize the Boks fans will now seize on your logic to deny the All Blacks one RWC win, don't you? Mark Keohane will just love you.

I don't give a crap either way, but I do find it amusing many are saying tough shit the Crusaders knew the rules, yet in another thread many (the same many?) lamented the rule that 'awarded' the Cricket World Cup to England. Surely the Black Caps knew the rules so it's tough titties to them too?

If the Black Caps fans (on that thread) say the Cricket World Cup is a meaningless competition then I totally agree with you..

L_n_P

@billy-tell said in Blues 2022:

Be interesting to see how this pans out. Left Ireland on a low (yet another ¼ final exit) and several players hinted they were happy to see the back of him (obsessive compulsive attention to detail, snuffed out all creativity, withering post-match criticism of players). Could be a master stroke though.

Depends what Joe wants to do and how ambitious he is, or is this a semi-retirement gig.

How many coaches of international teams leave their first gig on a high though - any?

Graham Henry resigned from Wales in 2002, admitted he shouldn't have taken up the (losing) 2001 BIL role, lost with the ABs in the 2007 RWC quarter final ... kept on learning from his failures. Bloody driven. Eddie Jones looks a bit similar imo. Warren Gatland was panned after Ireland, left Wales on a high. Now on a low after the Chiefs and the latest BIL tour etc? ... swings and roundabouts.

Coaches like Henry and Jones just acknowledge where they need to get better and keep on learning.

African Monkey

@crazy-horse Well yeah, it's exactly the same. Again, no one to blame but ourselves for not winning that WC.

Billy Tell

@junior said in Blues 2022:

@billy-tell said in Blues 2022:

Be interesting to see how this pans out. Left Ireland on a low (yet another ¼ final exit) and several players hinted they were happy to see the back of him (obsessive compulsive attention to detail, snuffed out all creativity, withering post-match criticism of players). Could be a master stroke though.

He won't be the head coach though, so very unlikely that he will be calling out players in the post-match press conferences. Also, those Irish are very sensitive souls, so I can see how maybe his calling out those guys may have a more detrimental impact

I dunno about sensitive souls but the Irish sure love a chip on the shoulder.

Dice

One of my favorite Blues tries. Brilliant by all involved.

This would be in my top 5 favorite Blues tries. Replay value is high.
https://streamable.com/863fr4

Dice

@dice Braid starts the move, then gets in support to receive the offload from Ice, and then flicks the pass to Atiga while falling. Just class.

Although Howlett didn't have any involvement in the try, of course he's already in support as an option even though he's coming from the far side of the field.

African Monkey

@dice Haha remember being at that game, sitting in the old terraces with some school mates.

Gee Toeava was some talent, as was shown in that play. Sadly he left NZ way too early.

Dice

@african-monkey Toeava put on a show in that game.

https://streamable.com/511nyb
https://streamable.com/zrvwc5

Tim

Blues instagram account posted a picture of Bryce Heem training with the squad, so assume he is returning next year.

Marcel Reneta too.

Daffy Jaffy

@tim Also Tanielu Tele'a is there so with Ioane and Heem that is 3 of the five midfielders confirmed. Maybe Tua and Evans to complete the group? Or there is that Wrampling rumor about. They could still pick only 4, carry an extra forward and keep Evans in the wtg.
Edit: I doubt he is staying on but if he is, Emoni Narawa has looked more than useful for BOP in the midfield this season.

george33

@daffy-jaffy said in Blues 2022:

@tim Also Tanielu Tele'a is there so with Ioane and Heem that is 3 of the five midfielders confirmed. Maybe Tua and Evans to complete the group? Or there is that Wrampling rumor about. They could still pick only 4, carry an extra forward and keep Evans in the wtg.
Edit: I doubt he is staying on but if he is, Emoni Narawa has looked more than useful for BOP in the midfield this season.

RTS will b there and heem a winger as for taniielu not sure doesn't look happy

Tim

Based on what we know from press releases and the this thread:

Props

Tu'inukuafe
Hodgman
Jordan Lay
O Tu'ungafasi
Laulala
Renata

Hookers

Vikena
Eklund
Riccitelli

Locks

Goodhue (healthy?)
Darry
Romano
1x or 0x lock

Lock/Loose Forward

Suafoa
1x or 0x lock/loose forward

Loose forwards

Choat
Segner
Papalii
Robinson
Plumtree
Sotutu
A Ioane

Halfbacks

Nock
Christie
Funaki

1st Five Eighths

Barrett
Perofeta
Plummer

Midfield

T Tele'a
R Ioane
2x Midfielders

Outside Backs

Tuivasa-Sheck
Clarke
M Telea
Heem
AJ Lam
Raumaitavuki-Kneepkens
Sullivan

Tim

Might see Plumtree, Evans, and Tua or Wrampling taking up three of those positions in the squad, but lock is tough to pick.

Daffy Jaffy

@tim They could be needing 4 Locks due to Goodhue having worrying head knock problems again. From the rumors it seems likely Romano and James Tucker will be 2 of them. After them who knows.

The Silver Fern

Blues 2022