Blues v Highlanders

[Duluth]

On the Blues HIA, I hope we give RI another week off. Lam played well last week at 13 so there's no need to rush him back

There's a possibility one of the wings might need to take AB rest. So maybe we see Banks or Tangitau on the wing?

[Landers92]

@Duluth said in Blues v Highlanders:

Harmon is unlikely
https://www.odt.co.nz/sport/rugby/harmon-still-doubtful-starter-blues-clash

Him and also Tele’a in doubt. He would be a big loss. If out I guess you did what they did last week and have Gilbert at 12 and push Te Hiwi out one to 13.

[SouthernMann]

Highlanders unchanged.

[Duluth]

https://www.blues.rugby/blues-rugby-news/team-naming-highlanders

1 Ofa Tu’ungafasi
2 Kurt Eklund
3 Marcel Renata – 50th Blues appearance
4 Laghlan McWhannell
5 Sam Darry
6 Adrian Choat
7 Dalton Papali’i (c)
8 Akira Ioane
9 Sam Nock
10 Harry Plummer
11 Caleb Clarke
12 Corey Evans
13 Bryce Heem
14 AJ Lam
15 Cole Forbes

16 Soane Vikena
17 Mason Tupaea*
18 Angus Ta’avao
19 Josh Beehre
20 Cameron Suafoa
21 Taufa Funaki
22 Stephen Perofeta
23 Kade Banks*

Players not considered: Lucas Cashmore (hamstring), Finlay Christie (groin), Joshua Fusitu’a, (concussion protocol), Rieko Ioane (concussion protocol), Jordan Lay (ankle, season), Hoskins Sotutu (managing workload), Zarn Sullivan (knee), Mark Tele’a (managing workload), Patrick Tuipulotu (managing workload).

[Kiwiwomble]

[Tim]

@Duluth Congrats to Mahurangi's Kade Banks, I think he's their first Super Rugby player?

[Bovidae]

Is Ben Ake injured? Looking forward to seeing Mason debut.

[African Monkey]

Thought we would have seem Segner get a run.

@Bovidae thoughts on Mason Tupaea?

[Duluth]

https://thehighlanders.co.nz/news/highlanders-name-team-for-gordon-hunter-memorial-trophy-clash/

Injured/unavailable: Jonah Lowe (knee), Hugh Renton (ankle), Rhys Patchell (pec), Jona Nareki (hamstring), Matt Whaanga (shoulder), Ricky Jackson (hamstring), Billy Harmon (hand), Connor Garden-Bachop (HIA), Josh Timu (ankle)

[Bovidae]

@African-Monkey He has been through the NZ age-group teams (NZ Schools, U20s) and was in the Waikato squad last year without getting too many opportunities. He is a decent size and mobile. Still only 21. He played for the Chiefs Dev team this year too. It's obviously Tupaea's biggest game to date.

[Machpants]

I can't see anything but an easy blues win here

[Daffy Jaffy]

@Bovidae said in Blues v Highlanders:

Is Ben Ake injured?

This from Blues Insta -

"Introducing Mason Tupaea

He’s been brought in as injury replacement for Jordan Lay and Ben Ake and finds himself in line to debut this weekend against the Highlanders"

[Machpants]

Unfortunate timing for the pic

[Kiwiwomble]

@Machpants said in Blues v Highlanders:

I can't see anything but an easy blues win here

why? just because they have 6 current AB's plus a handfull more who might be in with the shout this year...because they're top of the table and we've managed one win over NZ position in 4 years....so narrow minded....

[Machpants]

@Kiwiwomble said in Blues v Highlanders:

@Machpants said in Blues v Highlanders:

I can't see anything but an easy blues win here

why? just because they have 6 current AB's plus a handfull more who might be in with the shout this year...because they're top of the table and we've managed one win over NZ position in 4 years....so narrow minded....

I'm so narrow minded my notepad is an inch wide

[Duluth]

Hopefully Suafoa subs on for one of the flankers. Suafoa and Ioane in the same trio could work given the Blues gameplan

[frugby]

@Machpants said in Blues v Highlanders:

I can't see anything but an easy blues win here

We'll see. People said the same thing about the Crusaders last week... never underestimate confidence, momentum and belief.

Blues resting a shit ton of players will only increase the belief I think.

Blues probably still get it done, but I'd expect it to be close.

[Kiwiwomble]

@frugby did they? i think the closest i saw was things like "crusaders will finally wake up"

[KiwiMurph]

@Machpants said in Blues v Highlanders:

I can't see anything but an easy blues win here

Not so sure

New 8-9-10 combo for Blues

Breaking up Blues midfield combo

Sotutu, Telea etc not playing.

Think this one could get tight

[Duluth]

From the ODT

Dermody said Harmon was well off being considered for selection this week.

The nasty cut on his palm he sustained in Tonga had since got infected, and the star loose forward needed time to come right.

Centre Tanielu Tele’a is named despite failing an HIA test against the Crusaders.

Tele’a got a ‘‘whack to the face’’ and his smart mouthguard sent an alert for him to be checked at halftime, Dermody said.

He failed the initial HIA protocol — involving a memory test — so had to be replaced. But he passed the second stage of the protocol two days later, and again 24 hours after that, so can play this week