'Blues have been worse as the season has gone on': Fans left to question what went wrong as realisation sets in that this isn't their year
A 29-6 loss to the Crusaders in Christchurch has ended the Blues season with one round to play in Super Rugby Aotearoa 2021.
Sitting five competition points behind the second-place Chiefs, even a bonus point win won’t propel the Blues into the final as the tiebreaker will fall the way of the Chiefs who have won more games.
Just to make it clear, if the Blues don't get any competition points out of this match, it doesn't matter how they go against the Chiefs next week, they won't be able to pip them for second place (tie-break is games won, and Chiefs are two ahead). #SuperRugbyAotearoa #CRUvBLU
— Tom Vinicombe (@TomVinicombe) April 25, 2021
After their resurgent season in 2020, the Blues season started hot with wins away over the Hurricanes and at home over the Highlanders, but faded away after losing their crunch match against the Crusaders at home at Eden Park.
Since that loss, the Blues are 1-3 with only a lone win over the last-placed Hurricanes. They fell to the Chiefs in Hamilton when Damian McKenzie scored an 80th minute game-winning try, lost to the Highlanders away and now were comfortably beaten by the Crusaders.
This afternoon’s loss will be the final nail in the coffin but recent form suggested that this would be the case.
The Blues will review what resulted in a tryless performance under the stewardship of the new halves pairing Jonathan Ruru and Harry Plummer, who failed to really ignite the likes of Caleb Clarke and Rieko Ioane out wide.
The 9-10 combination were left clutching by Crusaders fullback Will Jordan who beat both of them, among five other Blues’ defenders, on the way to his first try.
Otere Black, who has been the primary game driver for the Blues since last season, was injected late into the game along with reserve halfback Finlay Christie to no avail.
Leon Macdonald must tell us why didn't he start Akiri Ioane and Finlay #CRUvBLU
— TEDDY BEAR? (@fana_lemane) April 25, 2021
Also coming off the bench was Akira Ioane, who offered the Blues a spark having a hand in a number of breaks that weren’t finished off.
Fans were left to watch the Blues try hard but come up with a paltry two penalty goals, leaving many to question what had happened to the side that started the season.
One fan wrote ‘since the Blues lost the Crusaders at Eden park, it just hasn’t been the same from these boys’, another questioned if the Blues were once again ‘the worst team in New Zealand’.
Another said ‘this is the same stuff from two years ago’ and that ‘today’s 9 through to 13 were absolutely average’.
The Blues have been worse as the season has gone on. Terrible today #cruvblu #SuperRugbyAotearoa @SuperRugbyNZ
— Graham Farmer (@gravyonsports) April 25, 2021
Since the @BluesRugbyTeam lost to @crusadersrugby at Eden Park, it just hasn't been the same from these boys in Auckland. You can't make so many errors if you want to be successful. Since then they have lost to the Chiefs, Landers and Saders again. ?? #CRUvBLU
— The Rugby Whisperer – Beautiful Warrior of GOD ?? (@VoLKANO76) April 25, 2021
Different year, Same old Blues.#CRUvBLU
— Evs (@FlukeArtist) April 25, 2021
Are the Blues the worst New Zealand side again? #CRUvBLU
— The Rugby Whisperer – Beautiful Warrior of GOD ?? (@VoLKANO76) April 25, 2021
#CRUvBLU Blues are just not good enough,bad decision making, simple execution not working and poor on field leadership.
— Mark Muchai (@Muchaiki) April 25, 2021
#CRUvBLU @BluesRugbyTeam taken some steps this season, unfortunately they are all backwards this is the same stuff from 2 years ago, today's starting 9 through to 13 were absolutely average, Riko is no #13. For the comps sake the cheifs need to make the final
— Rob Maxwell (@rmax84) April 25, 2021
i mean, i was confident the crusaders would win. but this is tragic for the blues #CRUvBLU
— kirst (@fornairobi) April 25, 2021
Blues social media updates stopped at 45 mins, much like their team. Good to see the Crusaders out there having some fun and running in a good win. #CRUvBLU https://t.co/shIal5wIXm
— Mitch Redman (@RedmanMitch) April 25, 2021
With everything to play for in Christchurch, it seems puzzling that the first choice 10 was left on the bench, the best halfback Sam Nock was left completely out of the 23, and the damaging running of Akira Ioane wasn’t preferred in the starting side.
Particularly with the loss of captain Patrick Tuipulotu, the Blues didn’t make sure they had the most experience possible on the pitch.
The Blues’ best starter was undoubtedly Dalton Papalii, who was forced from the field with around ten minutes to go with an injury after winning three breakdown turnovers, 10 tackles and six carries. The co-captain was everywhere in trying to keep the scoreboard acceptable.
Comments on RugbyPass
Like others, I am not seeing the connection between this edition of the Crusaders and the All Blacks future prospects under Razor. I think the analysis of the Crusaders attack recently is helpful because Razor and his coaching team used to be able to slot new guys in to their systems and see them succeed. Several of Razor’s coaches are still there so it would be surprising if the current attack and set piece has been overhauled to a great extent - but based on that analysis, it may have been. Whether it is too many new guys due to injuries or retirement or a failure of current Crusaders systems is the main question to be answered imo. It doesn’t seem relevant for the ABs.
3 Go to commentsharry potter is set in stone. he creates stability and finishes well. exactly what schmidt likes. he’s the ben smith of australian rugby. i think it could quite easily be potter toole and kellaway for the foreseeable future.
5 Go to commentsThis is short sighted from Clayton if you ask me, smacks of too much preseason planning and no adaptability. What if DMac is out for a must win match, are they still only going to bring their best first five and playmaker on late in the game? Trusting the game to someone who wasn’t even part of planning (they would have had Trask pinned in as Jacomb preseason). Perhaps if the Crusaders were better they would not have done this, but either way imo you take this opportunity to play a guy you might need starting in a final rather than having their 12th game getting comfortable coming off the bench.
1 Go to commentsThanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.
21 Go to commentsWhat a load of bollocks. The author has forgotten to mention the fact that the Crusaders have a huge injury toll with top world class players out. Not to mention the fact that they are obviously in a transition period. No this will not spark a slow death for NZ rugby, but it does mean there will be a new Super Rugby champion. Anyone who knows anything about NZ rugby knows that there is some serious talent here, it just isn’t all at the Crusaders.
3 Go to commentsI wouldn’t spend the time on Nawaqanitawase! No point in having him filling in a jersey when he’s committed to leave Union. Give the jersey to a young prospect who will be here in the future.
5 Go to commentsIt was a pleasure to watch those guys playing with such confidence. That trio can all be infuriating for different reasons and I can see why Jones might have decided against them. No way to justify leaving Ikitau out though. Jorgensen and him were both scheduled to return at the same time. Only one of them plays for Randwick and has a dad who is great mates with the national coach though.
53 Go to commentsBrayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
7 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
29 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
1 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to commentsGet blocking Travis, this guy has styles and he’s gonna make a swift impact…!
1 Go to comments