Blues 2024

[Chris]

@Frank said in Blues 2024:

Well done george33, you had the good oil.

April after the bye is that not what was first reported 8 weeks

[Duluth]

Some injury updates:

The Blues are still without a trio of frontliners in Sam Darry (neck), Akira Ioane (calf) and All Black Ofa Tu’ungafasi (knee), with Cotter confirming all are doubtful starters for the season opener against the Drua in Whangarei on February 24.

“Ofa needs to get himself conditioned. At tighthead prop you’ve got to spend more time around your contact at scrum, lineout and combinations, so he’s probably a little longer coming back in. Aki (Ioane) shouldn't be far away – he’s started knocking people around at training – and Sam is just a tweak so we’re being careful with him.”

[Tim]

Time to guess the 23 for the opening game.

1 Lay
2 Riccitelli
3 Ta'avao
4 Darry
5 Beehre
6 Segner
7 Papalii
8 Sotutu

9 Christie
10 Perofeta
11 Clarke
12 Plummer
13 Ioane
14 Telea
15 Sullivan

16 Eklund
17 Fusitua
18 Renata
19 Suafoa
20 Choat
21 Nock
22 Evans/Heem
23 Lam

[Tim]

The Blues lost captain Patrick Tuipulotu to a broken jaw in Japan. Akira Ioane’s calf injury is expected to sideline him for the first two regular season games and All Blacks prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi appears set to miss round one, too. Otherwise, though, the Blues squad is in healthy shape.

Cotter indicated his biggest selection headache is at halfback where Sam Nock and Finlay Christie are competing for the starting role.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/stephen-perofeta-shines-as-blues-trump-chiefs-in-final-pre-season-hit-out/7VXOVRDHKRESLN2XXRDCNURLGI/

[SBW1]

[booboo]

Get well soon. Hope it's not too major.

https://twitter.com/BluesRugbyTeam/status/1758599451793608922?t=ao9zhX4nRvBH-LuloJ-STg&s=19

[Duluth]

That sucks. I was thinking we haven’t seen much of O’Halloran during the preseason

Pretty good stand in

[KiwiMurph]

Alternative headline: New Bok assistant coach gains intel coaching Blues

[booboo]

Piney on ZB mentioned it's diabetes related.

[antipodean]

@KiwiMurph still probably the best option to get the Blues backline to its potential.

[Tim]

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/super-rugby-pacific-blues-talking-points-ahead-of-2024-season/4OM4NAP7CJAXTFHNR3SN5SV5KA/

Darry is 2.07m? The Blues website has him at 2.03m.

[MN5]

@Tim said in Blues 2024:

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/super-rugby-pacific-blues-talking-points-ahead-of-2024-season/4OM4NAP7CJAXTFHNR3SN5SV5KA/

Darry is 2.07m? The Blues website has him at 2.03m.

Measured by the same guy who measured Ardie Savea

[Tim]

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/350186513/angus-taavao-eyes-half-century-he-comes-full-circle-blues-super-rugby-pacific

[Duluth]

Good technique Rieko

[Daffy Jaffy]

[Duluth]

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/the-simple-lessons-from-toulouse-that-vern-cotter-is-brining-to-the-blues/

[Tim]

While the Blues are now two-and-two to start their campaign new head coach Cotter has issues at lock after losing Sam Darry to a serious knee injury. Darry’s injury further compounds captain Patrick Tuipulotu’s absence with a broken jaw.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/blues-v-highlanders-result-blues-make-it-two-from-two-in-super-rugby-pacific/TS6KUC3TE5H6LKKHULHPLFOXAE/

[Tim]

@Duluth Interesting that de Groot nearly signed with the Blues.

[KiwiMurph]

@Tim said in Blues 2024:

@Duluth Interesting that de Groot nearly signed with the Blues.

I took that as a joke from Cotter i.e. he tried to talk De Groot into signing whilst they shared the plane to Melbourne.

[Tim]

I certainly hope that Darry isn't out for long. As McWhannell is injury prone too, we could soon be down to one specialist lock, and a rookie at that.

Currently fit are McWhannell and Beehre, and the lock/sixes Suafoa and Thompson (also a rookie). Who is the next choice to bring into the squad? Annandale? Not many others are available. Maybe Hallam-Eames?