Blues re-sign four key players ahead of Super Rugby Pacific
The Blues have re-signed four key players as they look to clinch back-to-back titles in next year’s inaugural Super Rugby Pacific.
The Super Rugby Trans-Tasman champions have secured lock Josh Goodhue and first-five Stephen Perofeta for an extra year, while utility forward Tom Robinson and playmaker Harry Plummer have re-signed until 2023.
By keeping both Plummer and Perfoeta onboard, the Blues remain well-equipped at first-five with All Blacks star Beauden Barrett set to return to the franchise next year after his season-long sabbatical with Suntory Sungoliath in Japan.
The presence of the trio will offset the departure of Otere Black to the Shining Arcs in the Top League, a move that means Plummer and Perofeta are expected to play prominent back-up roles to Barrett.
A former New Zealand Schools and New Zealand U20 representative, Plummer is the most experienced of the re-signed quartet, having played in every Super Rugby match for the Blues in his three seasons at the franchise.
That statistic is indicative that Plummer will continue to feature strongly for the Blues, although he is likely to face strong competition from Perofeta, who debuted for the Blues against the Reds in Samoa as a teenager in 2017.
The former schoolboy star, who played for Whanganui and the Heartland XV while still in Year 13, then started in the Blues’ famous win over the British and Irish Lions before going on to help New Zealand win the World U20 Championship in Georgia, all in the space of a few weeks.
Since then, Perofeta has accrued 30 caps for the Blues as a first-five or fullback, with injury halting his development in recent times.
Robinson, meanwhile, has been tipped to break into the All Blacks squad in two of the past three years due to his high-energy showings for the Blues, either as a lock or at blindside flanker, but injuries have derailed his test prospects.
Nevertheless, the 27-year-old remains an option for higher honours if he can get the most out of himself over the course of the next two years.
Goodhue, meanwhile, is the twin brother of injured All Blacks midfielder Jack, and has been a crucial figure in the Blues set-up since his debut against the Hurricanes four years ago.
A regular of the match day squad, Goodhue has chalked up 38 appearances for the franchise in that timeframe and will look to notch his 50th cap by the end of next season.
With fans flocking ban to Principality Stadium, the All Blacks will have a major challenge on their hands this weekend – even if Wales will be missing some key players. #AllBlacks #WALvNZLhttps://t.co/Q4ISSkam1r
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 26, 2021
The absence of All Blacks second rower Patrick Tuipulotu, who has joined Toyota Verblitz on a season-long sabbatical, from next year’s Blues squad adds importance to the retention of both Robinson and Goodhue.
Blues head coach Leon MacDonald said he was “delighted” that the franchise has been able to retain the quartet, which he described as “vital” to his side’s chances of success.
“These four players are all incredibly important for our team on and off the field,” said coach Leon MacDonald.
“They are still young but now experienced Super Rugby players with a significant number of games under their belts.
“They are now seniors who will continue to have a growing influence on this team as players and as leaders.
“They go about their business in such a professional manner. They are a vital cog in the Blues machine and I am delighted they have all decided to extend their stay.”
The re-signings of Plummer, Perofeta, Robinson and Goodhue come a matter of days after it was announced that All Blacks props Karl Tu’inukuafe and Alex Hodgman had also signed contract extensions with the Blues.
2021-22 Blues transfers
In: Beauden Barrett (Suntory Sungoliath), Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (New Zealand Warriors), Ricky Riccitelli (Hurricanes)
Out: Patrick Tuipulotu (Toyota Verblitz), Otere Black (NTT Communications Shining Arcs), TJ Faiane (Hino Red Dolphins), Gerard Cowley-Tuioti (Kobelco Steelers), Blake Gibson (Hurricanes), Ray Niuia (released), Jacob Pierce (Toshiba Brave Lupus)
Comments on RugbyPass
🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
27 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 Crusades , you can keep going.
1 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!😭😭😭 !!!
27 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
27 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.
27 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.
27 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 commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to comments