Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France
24 - 22
FT
47 - 18
FT
Today
14:00
Tomorrow
01:55
Tomorrow
02:05
Tomorrow
04:35
Tomorrow
14:00
Tomorrow
14:00
Tomorrow
22:35
Saturday
02:05
Saturday
04:35
Saturday
08:45
Saturday
14:00
Super Rugby Pacific

Dalton Papali’i back as Blues captain in absence of injured Tuipulotu

Dalton Papali'i (L) laughs with Kurt Eklund (R) during the Blues Super Rugby Pacific training session at Blues HQ on June 14, 2023 in Auckland, New Zealand. (Photo by Fiona Goodall/Getty Images)

All Blacks flanker Dalton Papali’i will step back into the role of captain at the Blues in the absence of injured lock Patrick Tuipulotu during Super Rugby Pacific.

ADVERTISEMENT

Tuipulotu, who last month had been named the Blues’ captain for the upcoming season, fractured his jaw late in the Blues’ pre-season clash with Tokyo Sungoliath last weekend.

The second-rower has returned home to New Zealand and is expected to miss at least eight to 10 weeks after undergoing surgery.

Video Spacer

Video Spacer

With Tuipulotu out of the mix, the Blues needed a new captain.

Head coach Vern Cotter has confirmed that Dalton Papali’i will take over the captaincy for the time being. Papali’i has experience in the role, having captained the Blues from 2022-23.

“It was a good conversation with the leadership group and the boys,” Cotter said, as reported by Newshub.

“Dalts is taking over the captaincy and leadership of the team until Paddy comes back.”

But it’s another player with the ‘c’ next to their name heading into the Blues’ second pre-season match in Japan, this one being against the Yokohama Canon Eagles.

Lock Sam Darry, just 23, will captain the Blues for the first time when a star-studded side takes on the Japanese club at Nippatsu Mitsuzawa Stadium on Saturday afternoon (4:10 pm NZT).

Related

Veteran Willi Heinz to lead new-look Crusaders side against Bristol Bears

England international Willi Heinz will lead a new-look Crusaders outfit when they take on Bristol Bears.

Read Now

Darry has been named in the second row along with Josh Beehre, while the front-row trio of Jordan Lay, Ricky Riccitelli and Marcel Renata will pack down ahead of them.

Cameron Suafoa, Anton Segner and Hoskins Sotutu round out the forward pack, while the halves duo of Taufa Funaki and Stephen Perofeta will look to unlock the potential of this Blues backline.

ADVERTISEMENT

All Black wing Caleb Clarke lines up on the left, Caleb Tangitau on the right, and the always-exciting Zarn Sullivan out the back. Coach Cotter has also selected Corey Evans and Meihana Grindlay in the midfield.

Blues starting team to take on Yokohama Canon Eagles

  1. Jordan Lay, 2. Ricky Riccitelli, 3. Marcel Renata, 4. Sam Darry (c), 5. Josh Beehre, 6. Cameron Suafoa, 7.Anton Segner, 8. Hoskins Sotutu, 9. Taufa Funaki, 10. Stephen Perofeta, 11. Caleb Clarke, 12. Corey Evans, 13. Meihana Grindlay, 14. Caleb Tangitau, 15. Zarn Sullivan.

Recommended

Teddy Wilson leads the way: Time to ‘be excited’ about Australian rugby’s future

INTERVIEW

Black Ferns ‘weapon’ Kennedy Simon named Chiefs Manawa captain for 2024

‘Best versions of themselves’: Super Rugby the key for Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies

Crusaders’ Leigh Halfpenny set for lengthy sideline stint with chest injury

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

1

Gabriel Hamer-Webb leaves Cardiff with Premiership outfit circling

2

Irish-qualified ex-New Zealand U20 No.10 exits Ulster a year early

3

England and Wales internationals free agents after release from clubs

4

Props dominate Gallagher Premiership men's award shortlist

5

Schalk Burger's preferred position for Henry Pollock may not go down well

6

Steve Borthwick names 14 uncapped players in 33-man England squad

7

Have Bath got the thin end of the Premiership play-off draw?

8

The 'incredibly athletic' All Black Genia calls 'the toughest player I've ever played'

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

LONG READ

Opportunity knocks for 'new warriors' in Springboks squad

Juarno Augustus and Marnus van der Merwe could be the breakout Boks in 2025 as Rassie Erasmus layers yet more depth upon on his South Africa squad.

LONG READ

Why Australian rugby pins its hopes on the Brumbies to wrest the Super Rugby crown from New Zealand hands

Stephen Larkham's side underlined their status as the nation's premier franchise and burnished their title-winning credentials by outgunning the Reds.

LONG READ

‘Money is pouring into the All Blacks, yet the more they spend, the less return they get’

With NZ Rugby losing money off the field, is extra investment in the All Blacks bringing dividends on it?

Comments on RugbyPass

C
Cantab 9 days ago
Teenager Braxton Sorensen-McGee reflects on dream Black Ferns debut

Although NZ won comfortably enough they weren’t always convincing and a better opposition may well have found them out. If our gun 7s players can translate their skills to the 15s game the team would have the ability to beat anyone. Need to be given the chance though.

4 Go to comments
J
James 9 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

And how do you see the Wallabies loosehead / Lion’s tighthead battle Nick?

37 Go to comments
d
dw 9 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Also interested in your thoughts on A Bell. Haven't noticed many scrum issues recently. He also seems to play 60 or so mins every game. A bit of a fan (even though he’s a tah..) but wondered if the Lions would target his scrummaging

37 Go to comments
d
dw 9 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

True. And you look at how the European coaches have got so much out of skelton and how much the local fans love him…and then some Oz fans will still say “he played poorly for the tahs I'm 2015!”

37 Go to comments
d
dw 9 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Thanks Nick but your headline has just jinxed us and reminded me of that night in 2013!

I love any analysis of the scrums such as the above. Cheers.


Allalatoa seems to be in good form and Nongorr appears to be able to hold his own? I think they will pick Tupou regardless of form. After Friday night I am concerned he could be sent off in the first five mins of the test though! He got too pumped up and hit a player high and was carded

37 Go to comments
R
RedWarriors 9 days ago
'Most complacent selection decision you will ever see': Barrett benching slammed as Leinster knocked out

I watched the mainstream NZ pundits eg Mils Muliaina and they DID back NZ to win almost to a man.

Ireland will talk their team up as anyone would with the caveats we are playing the ABs and match was de facto 50:50, That is not the same as dismissing the opposition. EG After the quarter John Kirwan said he was sorry France didn’t win versus SA becuase a ‘France-NZ final would be perfect. (The semis had not even been played yet, England and Argentina completely dismissed! He didn’t even realize his own arrogance) NZ are not even aware of the arrogance they exude. Has no Kiwi politely asked the national team to take down the ‘Superstars and Humble Heroes’ boasting on the AB site? Its cringeworthy stuff. Do NZ really see themselves like this?

Note all this BS about Irish arrogance started just after NZs defeat in the 2022 series. Not a coincidence.

Also: this is Irish national TV. We will talk our team up as everyone does. We care too much about judgemental and thin skinned Kiwis getting offended.

91 Go to comments
J
JM 9 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Aussie rugby fans are obsessed with players they hate, for whatever reason.

Michael Hooper is another one, and the hatred only increased whenever he won John Eales medals or the two times he was nominated world player of the year.

I reckon it is because our forwards are technically and mentally weak they put it all on one player who they think should make way for the messiah.

Same for the general team performance and the hate put on players like White, Lolesio, and Foley who should be pulling rabbits out of the hat every play.

I reckon, if we had of had 5 players with Hooper’s desire and drive spread across the team (and especiallythe forwards), we wouldn’t have woken up in the bottom of the ditch.

37 Go to comments
R
RedWarriors 9 days ago
'What he’s given to this club is nothing short of incredible'

He shouldn’t have been picked. Not physically able for the most intense matches notably in Twickenham last year. Giving him the captaincy was also a very short sighted decision then after RWC 2023. Ireland have a tendency to be a little too loyal, which can mean the team ages and the rebuild is bigger than should be.

Plenty of lads out there to fill that squad.

4 Go to comments
O
OJohn 9 days ago
Geoff Parling returns to Leicester as head coach

Hooray

0 Go to comments
C
Carlos 9 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

He was also a YC magnet.

37 Go to comments
C
Carlos 9 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Windsor-Faulkner-Price. 😊

37 Go to comments
S
Solenn Bonnet 9 days ago
Leinster cleanse palette with record URC scoreline against Zebre

My name is Solenn Bonnet, and I am a single mother navigating the challenges of raising my two-year-old child while trying to make ends meet. I came across a trading platform that promised astonishing daily profits of 18%. The allure of such a high return on investment was too tempting to resist, and I found myself drawn into cryptocurrency trading. Excited by the prospect of financial freedom, I invested a significant amount of my savings, totaling over 5.7 BTC. However, what started as a hopeful venture quickly turned into a nightmare. The platform was a scam, and I lost everything I had invested. The emotional toll of this loss was immense; I felt devastated and helpless, struggling to provide for my child and keep up with my bills. In my desperate attempt to recover my funds, I sought help from various recovery experts. Unfortunately, I encountered numerous fraudulent individuals who claimed they could help me retrieve my lost money. Each time I reached out, I was met with disappointment and further scams, which only deepened my despair. Last year was one of the most challenging periods of my life, filled with anxiety and uncertainty about my financial future. Feeling overwhelmed and at a loss, I confided in a close friend from church about my situation. She listened compassionately and shared her own experiences with financial difficulties. Understanding my plight, she introduced me to Tech Cyber Force Recovery, a group of skilled hackers known for their expertise in recovering lost funds. Skeptical yet hopeful, I decided to reach out to them as a last resort. Their services came at a higher cost, but my friend generously offered to help me with a partial payment. I was amazed by how quickly they responded and began the recovery process. Their team was professional, efficient, and incredibly supportive throughout the entire ordeal. To my relief, they successfully recovered more than I had lost to those heartless scammers. This was truly transformative, and I felt a sense of relief and gratitude that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I strongly encourage anyone who has faced similar challenges or fallen victim to scams to reach out to Tech Cyber Force Recovery. If you’ve invested in a fraudulent platform like I did, they are highly capable of helping you reclaim your hard-earned money. Don’t lose hope; there is a way to recover what you’ve lost.

CONSULT TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY

EMAIL.. support@techyforcecyberretrieval.com

WhatsApp.. +15617263697

website.. https://techyforcecyberretrieval.com

Telegram.. +15617263697

0 Go to comments
M
Mzilikazi 9 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Ah, the Pooler front row ! Most legendary in the history of the , I would think. Max Boyce helped…”Here we. here we, here we go, with the Pontypool front row.”

37 Go to comments
M
Mzilikazi 9 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Would not go as far as whole house in our family, but for me, yes, W1. Loved playing in the scrum, love watching now😀

37 Go to comments
M
Mzilikazi 9 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Yes, I see that article here on RP, Nick. That is good news that Schmidt is going to look at the o’seas players.


Yes, I would think you are right that LAR will qualify. On the same points as MP, but surely they are too good not to win this crunch game….could be tEnse for ROG in the stands though.

37 Go to comments
B
BC 9 days ago
Who would make it into a Women's British and Irish Lions starting XV?

I would pick Oifa Wafer at 6, put Aldcroft in the second row with Ward. I think Wafer is one of the few non-England players mentioned that would contend for a Red Rose shirt, the others being King and possibly Neve Jones. Conversely there are two English players mentioned, Sing and Venner, that probably won’t even make the Red Rose WC squad, let alone a Lions Tour. Still a lot can change in two years, watch out for Millie David.

1 Go to comments
O
Otagoman II 9 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Great article NB, thanks. I would like to know what is the reasoning why so many things are penalties in the scrum. Is it to do with safety or something else?

37 Go to comments
N
NB 9 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

👍

37 Go to comments
N
NB 9 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Always the same at the other place. Some of those perceptions of him at the Tahs - lazy, overweight and slow - were impossible to shift!

37 Go to comments
N
NB 9 days ago
'Whisper it, but the Wallabies could out-scrum the British and Irish Lions this summer'

Hang on to Miz Carlos!

37 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ ‘Money is pouring into the All Blacks, yet the more they spend, the less return they get’ ‘Money is pouring into the All Blacks, yet the more they spend, the less return they get’
Search