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'Disappointing': Leon MacDonald calls out 'stupid' mistakes from Blues win
Blues head coach Leon MacDonald is satisfied to have banked four competition points with a win over Moana Pasifika, but he isn’t overly pleased with how his side attained their victory.
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The more established and highly-favoured Blues overcame a strong Moana Pasifika performance to claim a 32-19 win in the first-ever edition of Auckland’s cross-town Super Rugby Pacific derby at Mt Smart Stadium on Tuesday.
However, the visitors were made to work hard for their victory as Moana Pasifika came close to clinching a second straight win after bagging their first-ever victory, against the Hurricanes, just four days beforehand.
After holding a 19-5 lead at half-time, the Blues were forced to withstand a barrage of attack from Moana Pasifika, who struck constantly through their lineout and rolling maul after gaining ascendency early in the second half.
The hosts crossed for one try via loosehead prop Abraham Pole, and were unfortunate not to have scored twice more when second-five Solomone Kata and hooker Luteru Tolai were denied by the officials.
Moana Pasifika could have even scored a fourth try within 10 minutes after returning to the field, but some staunch Blues defence forced their counterparts into touch from a rolling maul.
MacDonald said after the match that his side’s ability to withstand a fourth wave of Moana Pasifika attack proved to be a crucial point in the game, especially as they were able to turn their opponents around and score a try of their own shortly afterwards.
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However, the Blues boss was unimpressed that his troops allowed Moana Pasifika to build as much momentum as they did so soon after half-time.
“I’d say we knew we were in a battle, and there was some tense moments that’s for sure,” MacDonald said of the match, which his side won even after Nepo Laulala was sent off for connecting his shoulder with Fine Inisi’s head at a second half ruck.
“A red card put us under more pressure, and we were able to stop the maul and cut that off, which was a big play at a critical time, and able to get down the other end and execute, so we were able to grab a couple of key moments and turn the game.
“It was always going to be a close game, I think. We prepared like that and got what we thought we’d get.
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“We didn’t want to let them in through discipline or errors, and we did that, so that’s a bit disappointing, but we’ll have to learn a quick lesson because we’re about to do it all again in a couple of days. Hopefully we’re quick learners.”
MacDonald reserved judgement about the verdict that resulted in Laulala’s dismissal near the hour mark, but didn’t hold back about the performance of his players – some of whom impressed and some of whom didn’t.
“I think there’s some players who have put their hand up and done a really good job,” MacDonald said after fielding an almost entirely new starting team, largely made up of rookies and youngsters, from the side that beat the Highlanders last Saturday.
“I thought Anton Segner was fantastic at 8 in his first start, and young Taufa Funaki did a good job at 9, so a couple of guys really put their hand up, I thought.
“A couple of other guys probably got a bit of a rude awakening to what Super Rugby’s all a little bit about and the intensity needed and the accuracy needed.
“A lot of our guys have been short of rugby in the last 12 months, with Covid etc, and it probably showed today.”
With only a four-day turnaround before the Blues and Moana Pasifika square off again at Eden Park, MacDonald conceded there is little time to overhaul their tactics and preparation for their rematch on Saturday.
In saying that, MacDonald urged his players to cut the “stupid” errors out of their game that enabled Moana Pasifika to force their way back into the contest.
“We had a plan of being really clinical in the second half, and then we kicked the ball out on the full and then we had the stupid offside within one minute. You get what you deserve when you start giving away easy ins like we did,” MacDonald said.
“We’ll be pretty honest in our review. We’ve got to turn around pretty quickly, and we’re back home this time, but I bet the crowd’s just as noisy at Eden Park as it is 10 minutes down the road here, so we’ve got to be ready for that.”
Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments