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Blues to welcome back All Blacks; Rugby 365

Started by Just_win7 REPLIES176 VIEWS· 18 Mar 2014, 08:24
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JW
Just_win
Captain18,570 posts
JW
Just_winCaptain18,570 posts
18 Mar 2014, 08:24
#1
18 Mar 2014, 08:24#1

The Blues are expect to welcome back a couple of All Blacks for their return home, when they face the Cheetahs in a Super Rugby Round Six match on Saturday.

Midfielder Ma'a Nonu is expected to be available, while loose forward Jerome Kaino is also due to be ready.

Jamison Gibson-Park, Baden Kerr and Hayden Triggs are also expected to be fit.

Lock Patrick Tuipulotu will miss two weeks with a knee injury, suffered in the 36-39 loss to the Lions in Johannesburg at the weekend.

He'll have an MRI scan after the team arrived back in Auckland.

Prop Charlie Faumuina and wing Tevita Li will be assessed after arriving home for back pain and a wrist injury respectively.

Li will have scans on returning, with a hand injury - suffered the week prior, in the loss to the Bulls in Round Four - slow to settle down.

A Blues statement on Monday said five players are "anticipated to be fit" to face the Cheetahs on Saturday.

That includes 88-Test midfielder Nonu, who underwent off-season ankle surgery, and 48-Test loose forward Kaino, the 2011 World Cup standout who has returned from a club stint in Japan.

Source: Newstalk ZB

JW
Just_win
Captain18,570 posts
JW
Just_winCaptain18,570 posts
18 Mar 2014, 08:25
#2
18 Mar 2014, 08:25#2
Good they are back but Blues is one of those teams where you wonder who the coach will name to start. There is always some mystery about it & we hope his selection make some sort of sense.
CL
clevermike
Coach57,555 posts
CL
clevermikeCoach57,555 posts
18 Mar 2014, 08:43
#3
18 Mar 2014, 08:43#3
Just Win
I looked at the returning players - and have some observations   to ask about:-
Nonu 
Should be an imrprovement if he manages to avoid a yellow card or worse during the match.   Do you think he will be able to do that?   
Kaino
Will he be an improvement on Luatua and Braid?
Baden-Kerr 
Will be an improvement on Noakes - but from what I saw last year - will he be an improvement on Hickey?
Most of the players are to my mind not really going to strengthen  the team, but will provide additional back up.  Am I wrong in that?    
JW
Just_win
Captain18,570 posts
JW
Just_winCaptain18,570 posts
18 Mar 2014, 09:00
#4
18 Mar 2014, 09:00#4
Nonu is always a bit of an unknown in s15 but with Sir G in the coaching ranks maybe he will get sorted.
Kaino will probably be phased in.
Hickey is the man.
HA
hakwa
Pro4,146 posts
HA
hakwaPro4,146 posts
18 Mar 2014, 09:58
#5
18 Mar 2014, 09:58#5
 there should also be a reserve seat for coaches so that when they don't perform, they sit on the reserve bench and the "understudy" gets to call the shots. Bring on Sir GH I say 
JW
Just_win
Captain18,570 posts
JW
Just_winCaptain18,570 posts
18 Mar 2014, 13:27
#6
18 Mar 2014, 13:27#6

Ha ha Hakwa

 

There might be a few coaches on the reserve bench considering their perfomance (Canes, Blues, Saders, Landers?) SA teams: Stormers, Cheetahs?

 

Not always the coaches fault of course.

OI
oimatey
Pro1,870 posts
OI
oimateyPro1,870 posts
19 Mar 2014, 05:24
#7
19 Mar 2014, 05:24#7
I see Nonu and Kaino are both starting on the bench.
Blues have to be the most under performing team in the comp. Stacked roster but continuously disappoint. What happened to them in SA was embarrassing. Is moving GH to head coach the answer? Surely with his tremendous reputation and influence he must hold some sway over JK and also then some responsibility for the current state of affairs.
PA
Papamoa
Club Pro683 posts
PA
PapamoaClub Pro683 posts
19 Mar 2014, 13:28
#8
19 Mar 2014, 13:28#8
 The Blues can be a solid side. There first halves kills there momentum. They have such potential, and could really start pushing for the top if they committed the full 80min not the last stages of the game. JK i think will be a good coach for the Blues. With a mentor like GH. The players will start to mold together over the next few home games and get the confidence back. Then watch out!!!
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