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Ioane brothers return as Blues make 15 changes for Highlanders derby
Coach Leon MacDonald has completely refreshed his starting line-up for the Blues’ quarter-final derby with the Highlanders this weekend.
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Not one of the 15 players who started in last weekend’s last-minute victory over the Waratahs in Sydney has been selected in the run-on side for the quarter-final, meaning the Blues will go into the match at Eden Park with fresh legs and fire in their bellies.
Importantly, the likes of Tom Robinson, Akira Ioane and Rieko Ioane will all make returns for the Blues this weekend after also sitting out the team’s prior last-second win over the Brumbies.
In the front row, the experienced trio of Alex Hodgman, Kurt Eklund and Ofa Tuungafasi will earn their sixth start of the campaign as a unit, with last week’s No 3 Nepo Laulala dropping to the bench alongside Soane Vikena and Karl Tu’inukuafe.
Despite a man-of-the-match performance from stand-in captain Luke Romano against the Waratahs, the former All Black will start from the bench this week with James Tucker and Robinson preferred in the second row.
Akira Ioane will join Dalton Papalii and Hoskins Sotutu in a formidable loose forward trio with Adrian Choat covering via the reserves.
The first-choice halves combination of Finlay Christie and Beauden Barrett has unsurprisingly been restored for this weekend’s quarter-final with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Rieko Ioane combining in the midfield.
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Out wide, Caleb Clarke’s hamstring injury has forced a reshuffle with Mark Telea shifting from the right wing to the left and utility Bryce Heem suiting up in the No 14 jersey. Stephen Perofeta will suit up at fullback with Sam Nock, AJ Lam and Zarn Sullivan named as back reserves.
The Blues have enjoyed a remarkably clean bill of health in the latter half of the season with Akira Ioane and Heem the only two players in this week’s run-on side to have not featured in at least four of the past seven starting line-ups – and that’s despite the Blues running out a shadow team last weekend against the Waratahs.
While the Highlanders have limped into this weekend’s quarter-final clash following two losses in their last two matches, the Blues were only able to rest so many of their top players against the Waratahs due to locking up first spot on the ladder the week prior and are sitting on 13 victories on the trot – a team record. As such, the Blues will enter this weekend’s clash as firm favourites, especially given the side they’ve been able to now for the fixture.
The Highlanders and Blues have squared off twice already this season with the Blues winning both games – although just seven points separated the two sides in their last encounter.
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Saturday’s match will kick off at 7:05pm NZT from Eden Park in Auckland.
Blues: Stephen Perofeta, Bryce Heem, Rieko Ioane, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Mark Telea, Beauden Barrett, Finlay Christie, Hoskins Sotutu, Dalton Papalii, Akira Ioane, Tom Robinson, James Tucker, Ofa Tuungafasi, Kurt Eklund, Alex Hodgman. Reserves: Soane Vikena, Karl Tu’inukuafe, Nepo Laulala, Luke Romano, Adrian Choat, Sam Nock, AJ Lam, Zarn Sullivan.
Comments on RugbyPass
I 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.
19 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.
7 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.
19 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?
9 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
9 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
28 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
28 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
90 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
4 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments