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Blues start two All Blacks and bench two for Super Rugby opening night
Six players will make their debuts in an exciting Blues side that includes All Black Rieko Ioane, who will play his 50th game for the club for the Super Rugby opener against the Chiefs at Eden Park on Friday.
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Ioane, 22, made his Super Rugby debut five years ago and in that time has amassed 33 tries for the Blues, along with earning 26 caps for the All Blacks.
He will make his first appearance for the season at wing, with England representative Joe Marchant to make his debut for the Blues at Centre.
The 23-year-old Marchant, who players for the Harlequins club in England, is one of four starters to make their Blues debut including hooker Kurt Eklund, USA World Cup representative Tony Lamborn at loose forward and North Harbour winger Mark Telea. Others who could debut off the bench include Samoan World Cup player Ray Niuia and exciting Bay of Plenty outside back, Emoni Narawa.
Blues Head Coach Leon Macdonald is pleased with the hard work that has gone into a truncated pre-season, and the team is excited to get the Super Rugby season underway on home turf at the spiritual home of rugby at Eden Park.
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“The boys are proud to represent the club, the jersey and our region in this new season, and we are excited about the season ahead,” he said.
“Selection for this team is probably the toughest one that I have had in my time at the Blues, with a number of other players pushing hard for this first team. We have been pleased with the level of commitment, competition and performance, and especially from a number of new players to our club.”
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MacDonald said Rieko Ioane would get his opportunity to play in the midfield as the season progresses but in his first outing this year, will play in his accustomed role on the left wing.
Eklund’s high-tempo displays in training and pre-season warranted a start while Lamborn brings a hard-working and uncompromising approach to the loose forward effort.
@ChiefsRugby will be rolling out Brad Weber, Aaron Cruden and Anton Lienert-Brown off the bench in the second half ?https://t.co/vdA7W064el… #SuperRugby #BLUvCHI
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 28, 2020
Patrick Tuipulotu, who sat out the Blues’ pre-season wins over the Chiefs and the Hurricanes, will lead the side from the second-row.
In the backs, Marchant has fitted quickly into the club and its systems, while 21-year-old Telea is a hard running and elusive wing from North Harbour who continues to grow his game.
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MacDonald said several young players have earned their chances with the form they have shown in training and pre-season matches, including the likes of Telea, Narawa, Eklund and also Hoskins Sotutu, who has earned his first start for the Blues at No 8.
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“We have some genuine competition across the squad and Hoskins has impressed us with his fitness and approach this season and really demanded his opportunity with his pre-season play. He is a product of our development programme through the grades, a second-generation Blues player from the family and has worked hard for his opportunity.”
MacDonald is also looking at the side’s overall mobility with the decision to start Tom Robinson at lock, after his impressive pre-season.
There is a strong look to the bench that includes All Blacks Ofa Tuungafasi and Karl Tu’inukuafe, and Samoan international Ray Niuia.
There are several players with minor injuries who are not available for the opening round including James Parsons (back), Otere Black (rib), Finlay Christie (neck), Gerard Cowley-Tuioti (shoulder), Ezekiel Lindenmuth, Jared Page and Tanielu Tele’a, while James Tucker is waiting on scan results on an injured knee.
Blues: Matt Duffie, Mark Telea, Joe Marchant, TJ Faiane, Rieko Ioane, Stephen Perofeta, Jonathan Ruru, Hoskins Sotutu, Tony Lamborn, Dalton Papalii, Tom Robinson, Patrick Tuipulotu (c), Sione Mafileo, Kurt Eklund, Alex Hodgman. Reserves: Ray Niuia, Karl Tu’inukuafe, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Josh Goodhue, Blake Gibson, Sam Nock, Harry Plummer, Emoni Narawa.
– with Blues Rugby
The Saracens’ salary cap scandal could lead to more players like Joe Marchant joining Super Rugby teams:
Comments on RugbyPass
I question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
2 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
2 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
3 Go to commentsWill rugbypass tv be showing these games?
1 Go to commentsWell where do you start, the fact that England have a professional domestic league and Ireland’s is fully amatuer, that they have fully seperated professional squads at Fifteens and Sevens (7’s thinly disguised as GB), and Ireland have fully pro Sevens squad who loan some players back to the Semi-Professional Fifteens squad (moved from amateur for only a year or so) for a few games at 6N & RWC’s. The Women’s games is a shambles, and is at risk of killing itself by pushing for professionalism when the market isn’t really there to support it outside one or two countnries..
6 Go to commentsWayne Smith's input didn't have as much impact on the last final as Davison's red card for Thompson. England were 14 points up and flying when that happened.
6 Go to commentsBilly's been playing consistently well for 2 - 3 seasons now and deserves a look in at the top level. Ioane and ALB are still first choice but there needs to be injury cover and succession. His partnership with Jordie gives him first dibs you'd think. Go the Hurricanes.
4 Go to comments