Injuries and referee's call concern for Blues
The Blues are flying home from Johannesburg with injury concerns and with a query for Sanzar referee's boss Lyndon Bray after a controversial ruling which resulted in a try for the Lions in their Investec Super Rugby game at the weekend.
Lock Patrick Tuipulotu will have an X-ray and MRI scan on a knee when he returns but will miss two weeks. Wing Tevita Li suffered a hand injury against the Bulls in the first game on tour but it hasn't settled down as expected and will require an X-ray while prop Charlie Faumuina was experiencing lumbar back pain before the side left South Africa.
However, awaiting their return and expected to be available for selection to play the Cheetahs at the weekend are former All Blacks loose forward Jerome Kaino, All Blacks second five-eighths Ma'a Nonu and halfback Jamison Gibson-Park, first five-eighths Baden Kerr and lock Hayden Triggs.
Coach John Kirwan said after the game which the Blues lost 36-39, "I'll be asking Lyndon [Bray] about the TMO decision. That was a bit of a tough one at a critical moment so we will have to have a look at it."
In the incident centre Deon van Rensburg appeared to knock the ball on over the goal-line before fullback Deon van Rensburg dropped on it to score.
Kirwan conceded the Blues 'probably' didn't deserve to win because of too many mistakes made in the first half and the first yellow card was a two-try affair.
"I thought the Lions deserved to win in the end. I thought we could have stolen it but we have to give ourselves a better chance," he said.
Lions coach Johann Ackermann praised the set pieces play of his side and said that had been most important in the second half.
"At the end of the day, the guys showed character and pulled it off, it was too close for comfort but I will take it," he said.
Captain Warren Whiteley said winning their first game against a non-South African side was a big boost.
"We can learn a lot from our second half when we let them in, but I am definitely happy with the character.
"That first half performance was outstanding. We absorbed the pressure really well and kept them out…it ultimately set us up for the win," he said.
