Blues 2023

[Steven Harris]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/super-rugby/300720549/live-new-zealand-super-rugby-squad-announcements-for-2023

Just been announced
Very settled squad

[Tim]

Squad is loose forward heavy. Perhaps this indicates that their All Blacks will miss a few games in the World Cup year? Or there are injury concerns?

Only two tall locks is a concern.

[Canes4life]

@Tim said in Blues 2023:

Squad is loose forward heavy. Perhaps this indicates that their All Blacks will miss a few games in the World Cup year?

Only two tall locks is a concern.

Are you sure you weren’t meant to write this on the Canes thread.

[Duluth]

@Tim said in Blues 2023:

Only two tall locks is a concern.

What's your cut off for tall? Darry is very tall. Darry and ?

1.98, 1.97 etc is tall enough when you have good targets in the loose forwards too. Sotutu and Akira are very good lineout options and Papali'i is solid too

Will be interesting to see who trains with the squad on dev contracts. Also does Robinson come back from his long injury layoff a little heavier

[Tim]

@Duluth I would say 1.98 is minimum for a conventional lock. I thought Tuipulotu was 1.99 or 2.00?

Looks like Tuipulotu, Darry, and Tucker are the only specialist locks, while Robinson is listed as a loose forward/lock. Both Tuipulotu and Darry have been injured frequently, so I hope we have some good WTG locks. Robinson is guaranteed to be unavailable for a significant part of the season, going on the trends from every year of his career so far.

[Tim]

Wondering if Beehre and Drake will be the WTG locks?

[Duluth]

@Tim

Tuipulotu is 1.98 apparently. Same as Robinson. Tucker 1.97

Scott Barrett is 1.97 which isn’t an issue

Then there’s wingspan.. a more meaningful stat would be height with arms above the head etc etc

Power in the scrum might be more of an issue? Hard to know unless we get some Blues props posting here

[Duluth]

@Tim said in Blues 2023:

Wondering if Beehre and Drake will be the WTG locks?

Beehre looks like the future. Maybe Hallam-Eames as the next best slightly older guy?

[Tim]

@Duluth said in Blues 2023:

Power in the scrum

Yeah that is probably the biggest concern. Seemed to be shown up big time last year. Maybe Tuipulotu and Tucker are the best combination there?

[Tim]

@Duluth There's also a question over when Tele'a will be available after his late season ACL injury, so maybe they will have another player in the squad until then?

[Duluth]

@Tim

Maybe that will be Che Clark? @Nogusta hinted he would be in the squad

[Tim]

Would be good to see MP's team. There's a few loose forwards in the region who might get signed by them.

[Daffy Jaffy]

@Tim Someone on FB yesterday asked MP when the team will be announced. This was the reply -
our squad gets named in a few weeks. We definitely have some surprises for everyone from the Pacific Combine and can’t wait to introduce some of the gems we uncovered. Stay tuned!

[Daffy Jaffy]

@Tim On the Blues Instagram about a week ago someone commented that they heard Beehre was off to Japan. That would be a shame if true.

[Tim]

Possible WTG members:

Jordan Lay
Sione Ahio
Paea
Langi

Kauika-Petersen

Hallam-Eames
Behree
Drake
Craig

Clark
Ekuasi
Peita
Sititi
McGahan
Frans
Melvin
Matich

Milo-Harris

Jock McKenzie

Tuitupou
Murray

[KiwiMurph]

@Tim I believe Peita has a multi year deal in the US.

[Daffy Jaffy]

@Tim I think Che Clark is a loose forward in xv's.

[Duluth]

@Daffy-Jaffy said in Blues 2023:

I think Che Clark is a loose forward in xv's.

That was my mistake.. I think I mixed him up with another 7’s player

[Tim]

I wonder which players from the region will end up at MP? Jordan Lay would be a good signing for them.

[taniwharugby]

@Tim Apoua was with them this year, but was out injured all season for us, so unsure if he was signed for just 1 sesson.

Jonah Mau'u could be an option in the loose, he was bloody good this season after a big off sesson, so potential is there if he was in a professional environment.