Blues to start Marshall at 10

Will be a baptism of fire for Benji when the Blues meet the Hardarse Hurricanes and the Champion Chiefs in preseason hit outs.

Got to admire the Blues though playing three away games before the season even starts against at least two of the top teams in Super XV rugby. Those games will be Awesome.

Don't know how much you will be able to read into the results of these games though as it's an opportunity for coaches to trial combinations but love him or hate him i'm hoping Benji does well and people keep their expectations of him realistic.

The Blues' Super Rugby pre-season fixtures

February 1
v Hurricanes - Memorial Park, Masterton, 3.00pm

February 7
v Waratahs @ Allianz Stadium, Sydney, 7.30pm (AST)

February 14
v Chiefs @ Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua, 6.00pm

I take it you have no hope for the Blues franchise without even seeing them play.

 I do feel that the inclusion of Nonu, Marshall and Kaino will improve things for them markedly. Last years result counts for nothing as this is a new team and comparing last year and this years team is like comparing apples and oranges. No mention either of Frank Halai ?

So given your lack of excitement for the Awesome Blues, say you were to buy a NZ Super XV jersey which one would you buy then if not a Blues jersey ?

Take your pick from these Awesome jerseys below as one of them will be worn by 2014 Super XV champions.

Hurricanes Home Jersey Super 2013.JPG

Blues Super Jersey 2013.JPG

Canterbury Super Jersey 2013.JPG

Chiefs Super Jersey 2013.JPG

 Here's this years jerseys for your viewing pleasure.

Maybe we can interest you in a hat as protection from that hot African sun.

So goes without saying that Nonu was an Awesome asset to the All Blacks epecially against the Springboks - for some reason he lifts his game when circumstances necessatate. His defence was at it's best at Ellis Park if you remember.

Now comparing Nonu the Highlander with Nonu at the Blues would be like comparing oranges and apples would'nt it.

This year he will have quality players inside and outside of him so i'm expecting some inspired performances from Nonu who has matured i think as a player.

I'm also expecting Awesome things from the Hurricanes this year as they have some Awesome players in their team. The coach is a complete muppet though so that could trip them up.

In summary i think you could throw a blanket over the top four NZ teams as they are all Awesome and they will truly hammer any opposition teams that have the misfortune of meeting them at home.

 The way these teams travel will be the difference as per usual but all NZ teams except the Highlanders pose a major threat to opposing teams while on tour .

It's gunna be Awesome.

But Bismark Du plessisis  is also a very physical player and he is hero worshipped so there is some irony there don't you think?  Seems you adore firey players as long as they're in your own team . ( Duplessis is more hot air than fire though don't you think.)

As far as Nonu's performance at Ellis Park went i don't think you're giving enough credit to De Villiers for his evasive skills. The same way Barret has'nt been recognised for his talents by South Africans (speaking again in the general terms you like.)

That seems to be the modus operandi i've noticed with your posters is to find a skapegoat for missed tackles instead of saying what an Awesome try that was, give that man a beer.

But if you read some of the match reviews of that epic game at Ellis Park they are giving Nonu credit as one of the Awesome leaders out there on that killing ground. So petty to single him out for one tackle he missed IMO.

Looking though at some of the reasons why Nonu will be a different player this year.

Nonus motivation this year will be different than last . Far more polynesians in the Blues team compared to the Highlanders so a totally different culture and he will be eager to earn their respect. Unless you understand the importance of aiga ( family) to Samoan cultural identity you may struggle to understand the massive difference this will make.

The imminent return of SBW to NZ rugby will also be a motivating factor . SBW 's will be taking his spot so i doubt Nonu will be happy about SBW being the centre (of attention) and stealing all the limelight so he will be trying harder than ever to impress everyone including JK , AB selectors, and rich overseas clubs perhaps.

...and i've already mentioned that i think Nonu has matured as a player and JK will have matured as a coach so hopefully their communication skills have improved and they won't be at loggerheads as before.

 But like i said Nonu will have players of Awesome quality inside and outside of him.

With other dangerous players the likes of Piutau, Halai and Saili lurking in the backline and another firey player inside him in Benji Marshall , stadiums may need the fire brigade on their speed dial to douse the flames coming off this Blues side.

But Bismark Du plessisis  is also a very physical player and he is hero worshipped so there is some irony there don't you think?  Seems you adore firey players as long as they're in your own team . ( Duplessis is more hot air than fire though don't you think.)

As far as Nonu's performance at Ellis Park went i don't think you're giving enough credit to De Villiers for his evasive skills. The same way Barret has'nt been recognised for his talents by South Africans (speaking again in the general terms you like.)

That seems to be the modus operandi i've noticed with your posters is to find a skapegoat for missed tackles instead of saying what an Awesome try that was, give that man a beer.

But if you read some of the match reviews of that epic game at Ellis Park they are giving Nonu credit as one of the Awesome leaders out there on that killing ground. So petty to single him out for one tackle he missed IMO.

Looking though at some of the reasons why Nonu will be a different player this year.

Nonus motivation this year will be different than last . Far more polynesians in the Blues team compared to the Highlanders so a totally different culture and he will be eager to earn their respect. Unless you understand the importance of aiga ( family) to Samoan cultural identity you may struggle to understand the massive difference this will make.

The imminent return of SBW to NZ rugby will also be a motivating factor . SBW 's will be taking his spot so i doubt Nonu will be happy about SBW being the centre (of attention) and stealing all the limelight so he will be trying harder than ever to impress everyone including JK , AB selectors, and rich overseas clubs perhaps.

...and i've already mentioned that i think Nonu has matured as a player and JK will have matured as a coach so hopefully their communication skills have improved and they won't be at loggerheads as before.

 But like i said Nonu will have players of Awesome quality inside and outside of him.

With other dangerous players the likes of Piutau, Halai and Saili lurking in the backline and another firey player inside him in Benji Marshall , stadiums may need the fire brigade on their speed dial to douse the flames coming off this Blues side.

Since Nonu was in the Blues last time there are a number of new players and new Blues All Blacks have been blooded such as Piutau , Saili and Halai.

 And with the arrival of Marshall the chemistry has changed even more - Benji Marshall being a freakin football genius . So there is increased confidence in the abilities of all these players especially given the return of Kaino from Japan and that will manifest itself in the quality of their performance.

People will be talking about the dynamic duo of Marshall and Nonu this year like they did with Cruden and SBW. Both are natural footballers , very creative and capable of wreaking havoc so South African teams should study their game carefully if they know what's good for them. 

Days after the departure of coach Santiago Phelan, Graham Henry has said he has no plans to return to assist Argentina and that it was "very unlikely" he will coach internationally again.

While he will continue to coach the Blues, he told the Sunday Star Times his future was at the domestic level. "You never know. I would say it's very, very unlikely, but if I say I'll never get involved in international rugby again, and something happens and I do . . . but it's very unlikely."

Henry was criticised in the New Zealand media for helping Argentina with it being seen as disloyal to his home country. "That was never a concern for me," he said. "You're always going to get some of that. A lot of it was driven by some of the media." There was also unease that he introduced the Argentina squad to a lot of the techniques which brought him so much success with the All Blacks

He said the main reason behind his decision was the need to focus all his time and effort into one project and that he wanted to concentrate on his Super Rugby commitments.

"I didn't feel right. It's either I do it 100% or I don't do it at all," he said. "Doing it 70% is not the right thing to do. I'd never done that before. You can't do it in half measures. It didn't work for me."

What they do have is a bunch of very talented young players, a head coach in John Kirwan who is an inspirational sort of fellow, even if his coaching track record is not that flash, and an assistant coach by the name of Henry, who – make no mistake – will be calling a lot of the shots, even if everyone insists “JK’s the boss.” His presence alone suggests better things.

They won’t win it, but they might just be laying the foundations for better times to come."

im not sure what u read or herad to suggest that the majority of kiwis were talking up the blues chances last year, but as poi e said, there was no one here talking up their chances, let alone enough to write up a book as u said.
as poi e said, the blues squad on paper was NZs weakest squad by far, and on top of that they had a new coaching staff, so i think u might have gotten ur wires crossed a little bit here, o_O

regarding nonu
spXV liability???
absolutely, nonus super rugby performance for the last 3-4 years has been pretty ordinary. its almost like he dosent really give a shit, cos when he plays for the All blacks, its a different story all together where hes prob been one of the best and most consistent 12s for the last 4 years.

and u got the call wrong about NZRU making JK take nonu, it was kirwans decision all the way.
had the NZRU been forced to take action, then nonu would be playing for the hurricanes, the club he wanted to go to originally which is based in his city where all his immediate family live.