1
There remain many more questions than answers when evaluating the chances of the Blues in Super Rugby 2018.
ADVERTISEMENT
Progress has been slow and steady under coach Tana Umaga, entering his third season at the helm. But the key determinant on whether that progress is trending sharply upwards will come if they can haul themselves off the bottom of the New Zealand conference log and reach those elusive playoffs for the first time since Pat Lam’s 2011 charges.
It can be done. But there are several caveats.
The first is that they stay largely injury-free, always a challenge in this attritional competition. Their depth is untested and shallow. Isaac Salmon anyone? (He was Tasman’s No 4 prop, if you’re asking). Matt Johnson? (He was a midfielder for the stuttering Southland Stags in 2017). Flanker Blake Gibson, Auckland’s player of the season, is out until April after shoulder surgery.
That leaves a lot on the broad shoulders of Jerome Kaino in his final campaign for the franchise, and lock Patrick Tuipulotu, who needs to start 2018 the way he finished 2017. Ofa Tu’ungafasi is the man to show us he can fill Charlie Faumuina’s considerable boots. Former All Blacks prop Ben Afeaki is the new scrum coach and he will be tasked with wringing every bit of power and technique out of Tu’ungafasi, a long-term All Blacks project.
The full-strength backline has an imposing look about it, starting with newly minted captain Augustine Pulu, who knows he needs a big few months to regain his All Blacks jersey. Some may not have heard of Stephen Perofeta. We can assure you the No 10 is the real deal, and just needs to show us consistent game management to augment his classy touches. Bryn Gatland will kick the goals as back-up.
We await the full flowering of Sonny Bill Williams’ attacking game. We know the 32-year-old can tackle and offload, but we saw little of the other subtle touches for the 2017 Blues. He did, however, start to bring those on the All Blacks’ northern tour. George Moala, probably at centre, will seek a strong campaign before he heads offshore.
In the outside backs, try this for a mix of pace and X-factor: Rieko Ioane, Matt Duffie, Melani Nanai, Michael Collins and young Caleb Clarke.
ADVERTISEMENT
So, can Umaga unlock the full potential of this unit? So many questions, so few answers. But they are more than capable if the stars align.
One to watch
Caleb Clarke is a real chip off the ol’ block, son of former All Black Eroni Clarke, who played the last of his 51 games for the Blues in 2000.
Clarke junior is not yet 19 but was in sizzling form on the New Zealand Under 20s wing last season. He won three caps for Auckland and looked at home in the Mitre 10 Cup but failed to kick on, partially due to injury. If he can crack the Blues’ starting XV, and receive decent service from the midfield, he could again show us his wares.
2018 Predictions
New Zealand Conference Placing: 4th
Player of the Year: Augustine Pulu
Rookie of the Year: Caleb Clarke
ADVERTISEMENT
Best Signing: Leni Apisai
Breakout Player: Akira Ioane
Squad Movements
Ins: Leni Apisai (Hurricanes) Isaac Salmon (Tasman), Mike Tamoaieta (North Harbour), Dalton Papali’i (Auckland), Glenn Preston (North Harbour), Jonathan Ruru (Otago), Otere Black (Hurricanes)/Dan Kirkpatrick (Wellington), Bryn Gatland (North Harbour), Matt Johnson (Southland), Tamati Tua (Northland), Caleb Clarke (Auckland)
Outs: Hame Faiva (Treviso, Italy), Charlie Faumuina (Toulouse, France), Steven Luatua (Bristol, England), Brandon Nansen (Stade Francais, France), Sam Prattley, Billy Guyton, Matt Vaega, Declan O’Donnell, Rene Ranger (La Rochelle, France), Ihaia West (Hurricanes), Piers Francis (Northampton, England)
Squad: Leni Apisai, Matt Moulds, James Parsons, Alex Hodgman, Sione Mafileo, Pauliasi Manu, Isaac Salmon, Mike Tamoaieta, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, Josh Goodhue, Scott Scrafton, Patrick Tuipulotu, Jimmy Tupou, Blake Gibson, Akira Ioane, Jerome Kaino, Dalton Papali’i, Glenn Preston, Kara Pryor, Murphy Taramai, Sam Nock, Augustine Pulu (c), Jonathan Ruru, Otere Black/Daniel Kirkpatrick, Bryn Gatland, Stephen Perofeta, TJ Faiane, Sonny Bill Williams, Matt Johnson, George Moala, Tamati Tua, Rieko Ioane, Caleb Clarke, Melani Nanai, Matt Duffie, Michael Collins, Jordan Trainor
More Super Rugby Previews
Crusaders new dynasty just beginning
Hurricanes title window still open
Highlanders to bring same staunch attitude
Comments on RugbyPass
You probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
12 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
1 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
1 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
16 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
16 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to commentsMake what step up? Manie has a World Cup winner’s medal around his neck and changed the way the Springboks can play. He doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone. The win record of the Boks with him in the team is tremendous. Sacha can be wonderful and I hope he has a very succesful Bok career, but comparing him to Manie in terms of the next Bok flyhalf is very strange. Manie is the incumbent (not the next) and doing pretty incredibly.
4 Go to comments00 😍 U
1 Go to commentsSabbaticals have helped keep NZ’s very best talent in the country on long term deals - this fact has been left out of this article. Much like the articles calling to allow overseas players to be selected, yet can only name one player currently not signed to NZR who would be selected for the ABs. And in the entire history of NZ players leaving to play overseas, literally only 4 or 5 have left in their prime as current ABs. (Piatau, Evans, Hayman, Mo’unga,?) Yes Carter got an injury while playing in France 16 years ago, but he also got a tournament ending injury at the 2011 World Cup while taking mid-week practice kicks at goal. Maybe Jordie gets a season-ending injury while playing in Ireland, maybe he gets one next week against the Brumbies. NZR have many shortcomings, but keeping the very best players in the country and/or available for ABs selection is not one of them. Likewise for workload management - players missing 2 games out of 14 is hardly a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Again let’s use some facts - did it stop the Crusaders winning SR so many times consecutively when during any given week they would be missing 2 of their best players? The whole idea of the sabbatical is to reward your best players who are willing to sign very long term deals with some time to do whatever they want. They are not handed out willy-nilly, and at nowhere near the levels that would somehow devalue Super Rugby. In this particular example JB is locked in with NZR for what will probably (hopefully) be the best years of his career, hard to imagine him not sticking around for a couple more after for a Lions tour and one more world cup. He has the potential to become the most capped AB of all time. A much better outcome than him leaving NZ for a minimum of 3 years at the age of 27, unlikely to ever play for the ABs again, which would be the likely alternative.
3 Go to commentsJake White talks more sense than anything I've read in the last 5 years. Hope someone's listening.
16 Go to commentsThe Springboks tried going down the road of only picking home-based players and it was an unmitigated disaster in 2016 and 2017. Picking overseas-based players has been one of the main reason the Boks have done so well since 2018, not only because of the quality Rassie could call on, but because of the knowledge and experience those players brought into camp from England, France and Japan. With some of the big names playing abroad it also gave younger players in SA the chance to break through at franchise level. Would we have seen the emergence of a Ruan Nortje if RG and Lood were still at the Bulls? Not so sure. I understand why Jake would want to block players leaving since his job depends on good results but it’s an approach that would take Bok rugby back to the bad old days and no South African wants to see that.
16 Go to comments