'A guy like that is only going to benefit the Blues': The regular starters that have helped turn the Blues' season around
With just one round of regular season games remaining in 2021, the Blues currently find themselves atop the tree in Super Rugby Trans-Tasman, having not yet lost a game and registering a near-perfect 19 points from a possible 20.
After a difficult second season in Super Rugby Aotearoa under head coach Leon MacDonald, the ‘sleeping giant’ that is the Auckland-based franchise looks to have well and truly woken up, producing some dominant performances in the Trans-Tasman competition and scoring thirty-plus points in every game thus far.
The excellent form the Blues have enjoyed in this competition has been built largely on the rock-solid foundation that is their forward pack. Although the Blues are no strangers to talent, this time around the puzzle pieces seem to have finally fallen into place, as MacDonald has managed a forwards squad containing eight All Blacks extremely well, rotating where necessary but crucially allowing for consistency to be built up through regular appearances.
The dominance and ruthlessness of the Blues upfront, as well as the dynamism the ball-playing ability of their forwards has afforded them, has set the platform for a youthful and exciting backline to flourish. In short, things seem to be clicking for the Blues at just the right time and given their current position, one more bonus point victory will all but guarantee a home final – a first since 2003.
There is understandably plenty to get Blues fans excited therefore, and speaking on the Aotearoa Rugby Pod this week ex-Blues centurion James Parsons identified two players who although not yet international stars, have nonetheless been key contributors to the Blues’ successes. Crucially, in two positions in which the Blues are far from lacking in depth, lock Gerard Cowley-Tuioti and halfback Finlay Christie have shone in their own respective ways.
Commenting on the 28-year-old Cowley-Tuioti, Parsons identified the lock’s work rate as key to the Blues’ successful game plan.
“It’s his selfless decisions to create opportunities for others that was the biggest thing that I liked,” remarked Parsons of Cowley-Tuioti’s contribution to the Blues’ 24-31 victory over the Reds in Brisbane.
The build-up to Mark Telea’s try was one instance in which Cowley-Tuioti proved crucial.
“The line that he runs off Patrick Tuipulotu, Tuipulotu gives that ball out the back to Mark but Cowley-Tuioti’s line, a hard line that commits the Queensland defender to rush in, creates that space to open up for Mark as the pivot to run through that space and score… It’s his discipline to do his role to create space for someone else.”
Similarly, Parsons highlighted Cowley-Tuioti’s good work in the lead up to Dalton Papalii’s try from short range.
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“Gerard cleans that last ruck and he takes two Queensland defenders in and around the corner [in doing so]. Then the other Reds players have to come right around, they don’t do it in time and then Dalton obviously picks and scores.”
It is this selflessness that has proved so impressive throughout the competition, with Parsons believing that Cowley-Tuioti largely epitomizes the team cohesion that the Blues have built, the behind-the-scenes ethos whereby no one player is solely relied upon. From that base of selflessness upfront come the “massive plays” that lead to points and victories.
Bryn Hall, a teammate of Cowley-Tuitoi’s at North Harbour also commended the lock’s performance in a hard-fought victory in Brisbane. “I thought he… was immense defensively,” said Hall. “Gerard topped the tackle count with twenty… and really had that physicality, bringing in that defensive effort for the Blues, which I think is needed in those kinds of big games.”
A player much like Cowley-Tuitoi who has been consistently excellent in his four back-to-back starts in Super Rugby Trans-Tasman, has been halfback Finlay Christie. The Scottish-born Christie has fought his way to the top of the pecking order out of a talented trio of Blues halfbacks and has truly been making good MacDonald’s faith in him, displaying an ever-increasing level of game management, kicking ability and running game.
“His box-kick game is improving,” said Parsons of the 26-year-old. “I feel like now he’s got his match fitness, his whole game he’s stringing together is really starting to gel with the forwards but also the backs, and it’s just complimenting that ability to have that ball-up mindset…there just seems to be a good synergy building now there’s that consistency in that selection at nine.” As Hall was quick to comment, a lot of that growing confidence in Christie might well be due to the successes with Tasman Christie has enjoyed at provincial level.
“The efficiency of the Blues when they were inside the 22 and the control that Finlay Christie had with the forwards running off him…is really efficient,” said Hall. “When your forwards are on the go-forward and giving you really good set piece ball or just good phase play ball, then the ability to be able to play off that is really easy to do…but he gets opposition out playing a little bit, trying to entice the hard defence… and then you’ve got runners outside him and they go through.”
“His game management understanding has been really good,” commented Hall. “Moving forward especially if they do play in the final, having a guy like that who understands the situations of game management when it comes to those games is only going to benefit the Blues.”
The Blues will certainly hope Christie and Cowley-Tuitoi are on top form once again as they look to secure their spot in the Trans-Tasman final in a home clash with the Western Force this Saturday.
Comments on RugbyPass
Big difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
1 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
30 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to comments