Defending champions Blues embrace ‘clean slate’ before Qualifying Final

Coach Vern Cotter has only made one change to the Blues side that beat the NSW Waratahs in Auckland last weekend, with Adrian Choat coming into the First XV at blindside flanker for this weekend’s Qualifying Final in Hamilton.

Following their emphatic 40-point win over the Tahs at Eden Park, the Blues snuck into the top six after Moana Pasifika were beaten by the Hurricanes. With their season on the line once again, the Blues are ready to lift to take on the number one-seeded Chiefs.

Choat comes into the starting side at blindside flanker, while Anton Segner drops to the bench. 95-game Blues veteran Dalton Papali’i and Hoskins Sotutu round out a formidable backrow trio, which has more than 220 caps between them.

Joshua Fusitu’a joins Ricky Riccitelli and Marcel Renata in the front row. This will be Riccitelli’s 50^th match for the Blues, having made the move north from the Canes a number of seasons ago. Patrick Tuipulogu and Laghlan McWhannell are the two starting locks.

In the backs, Finlay Christie partners Beauden Barrett in the halves, with AJ Lam joining Rieko Ioane in the midfield. All Blacks Caleb Clarke and Mark Tele’a are the two wings, with Corey Evans retained at fullback.

“We’ve built some good momentum over the past few weeks. Our guys are well connected and know what we want to achieve as a group,” Cotter said in a statement.

“Finals rugby is a clean slate, and it comes down to preparing and executing well. We are certainly up for the fight and looking forward to the opportunity ahead of us.

“We need our Blues fans behind us for this one and hope to see plenty of them in the crowd cheering us on.”

The last time these sides met in round five, the Chiefs won a thriller 32-31, with Xavi Taele missing a tough conversion in the dying stages that would’ve given the Blues a late lead.

But a lot has changed between now and then.

The Blues have won three of their last four matches, having held their opponents to six points or less in two of the last three starts.

This match at Hamilton’s FMG Stadium Waikato will get underway at 7:05 pm NZT on Saturday evening. Even if the Chiefs lose, they have already secured their place in the semi-finals, as the highest-ranked loser will progress.

Head-to-Head

Last 5 Meetings

Wins

2

Draws

0

Wins

3

Average Points scored

21

27

First try wins

60%

Home team wins

60%

Blues team to take on the Chiefs

1. Joshua Fusitu’a (35)
2. Ricky Riccitelli (49)
3. Marcel Renata (64)
4. Patrick Tuipulotu (capt) (122)
5. Laghlan McWhannell (21)
6. Adrian Choat (53)
7. Dalton Papali’i (95)
8. Hoskins Sotutu (76)
9. Finlay Christie (66)
10. Beauden Barrett (42)
11. Caleb Clarke (73)
12. AJ Lam (56)
13. Rieko Ioane (126)
14. Mark Tele’a (78)
15. Corey Evans (27)

Replacements

16. Kurt Eklund (73)

17. Jordan Lay (25)

18. Angus Ta’avao (80)

19. Josh Beehre (25)

20. Anton Segner (35)

21. Sam Nock (80)

22. Harry Plummer (87)

23. Cole Forbes (28)