1
Leon MacDonald provides update on sidelined Rieko Ioane
Having grabbed a bonus-point victory over the Reds at Eden Park on Saturday evening and locked up a home quarter-final spot, Blues coach Leon MacDonald had plenty of reasons to be positive following the 53-26 result.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Blues scored eight tries throughout the contest – some via sweeping moves from the backs and some from close-range lineout drives – and while they also conceded four, they looked in control of the game virtually from start to finish.
The likes of Beauden Barrett, Stephen Perofeta and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck all had moments of brilliance on attack while Ofa Tuungafasi, James Tucker and Tom Robinson all impressed in the forwards and the Blues are now building some strong form ahead of key crucial encounters with the Brumbies and Waratahs in Australia.
Now seven points ahead of the second-placed Crusaders on the overall Super Rugby Pacific ladder, a win for the Blues in either of their next two matches would guarantee top seeding heading into the knockout stages of the competition and likely tee up a quarter-final showdown with the Highlanders at Eden Park – a repeat of last year’s Super Rugby Trans-Tasman final.
All in all, things are looking rosy for the Blues with just over five weekends of action left to play before a champion is crowned.
There was, however, one concern to come out of the win on Saturday night.
In-form All Blacks midfielder Rieko Ioane – who has all but sewn up the No 13 jersey ahead of the international season kicking off in July – lasted just 11 minutes before limping off the field.
There didn’t appear to be any major damage done and although MacDonald quelled any immediate fears following the game, the Blues could be faced to front the Brumbies next weekend without their star centre.
ADVERTISEMENT
“He pulled up with [what] looked like a hamstring [strain] initially,” MacDonald told media after the match. “We’ve just got to monitor him. He’s smiling out there at the moment so hopefully, it’s not too bad.”
With Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Bryce Heem combining well against the Reds, a short-term stint without Ioane wouldn’t be the end of the world for MacDonald, but Ioane would certainly be missed come the finals.
At the higher level of the game, the All Blacks have already lost regular midfielder Anton Lienert-Brown until October while Jack Goodhue is in the early stages of his return to the field after rupturing his ACL last season.
If Ioane is absent for the coming weeks, Tuivasa-Sheck and Heem will no doubt be asked to resume their partnership against the Brumbies and Waratahs in the weeks to come while the likes of Tanielu Tele’a and Corey Evans have also been used in the centres by the Blues this season.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Blues will take on the Brumbies in Canberra next Saturday.
Comments on RugbyPass
GOTTA MAKE ‘THE GEORGE’ HAPPEN!!!! That’s a great idea! A trans Tasman midget battle on ANZAC Day. I don’t think the ABs Wallabies game should be a one off winner takes all though, just the first match with the other two later in the year with the RC. Reason being, no one will ever shut up about how aussies couldn’t win it when it was a 3 match series.
1 Go to comments@Ben smith. Thats knock out rugby. So honeslty who cares?
146 Go to commentsIt will interesting to know which Irish players said that…
1 Go to commentsNaaaww boys will be boys! Now run along ya wee scamp! Don’t let us catch you at again😏
1 Go to commentsGreat to have Ethan Blackadder back in the Crusaders in the last few weeks. One of the best all round loose forwards around. He played so well last week against the Rebels. Fantastic attitude Ethan has and his comments are spot on.
2 Go to commentsThe author is 100% right. The Springboks know that they don't have near the natural attraction, mana, skill and mystic the All Blacks have. So, Chasing the sun 1 & 2 was concocted to overblow the Boks image on the back of a corruptly obtained “win". It's marketing ploy to force the Boks delusion as the World's Best. I guess World Rugby is also not to be believed when it came out with an apology about how the final was officiated. And if the 2023 final such a superb game by the Boks, then the Boks crying about Referee Bryce Lawrence for decades is also deserves a laugh. Chase the sun and get burned like a moth. A very well written literary piece that tore the Boks and Chasing the sun farce to shreds. 🖤All Blacks🏉
146 Go to commentsI’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
146 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to commentsWhat ifs are always dangerous. If you look at the game before Sam cane got sent of SA was dominating. You could make the argument the going down to 14 men rallied the troops and made them have to play to win which is always dangerous.
146 Go to commentsOmg… you are bruised And battered Benny. Stop crying … the scoreboard speaks. What a pathetic lover you are.. 🤣🤣🤣
146 Go to commentsPacific Lions, cry me a river
146 Go to commentsThis is the single worst piece of journalism I have ever seen since your last one. As a neutral, who really states that there should be an asterisk next to a win? You are an utter embarrassment to real AB fans, journalism and that joke of a house which pays you for this nonsense. Get a life, Ben.
146 Go to commentsGuys. Cancel the World Cup champions after this analysis. It changes everything. Ben knows. We’ll have to unengrave the Bokke off the trophy and hand it to the ABs, now that I’ve been enlightened about this illegitimate win. This needs to be done. Now!
146 Go to commentsBen is right here though, Springboks were woefully poor with the advantage they had throughout this game. The France match was heroic because that was an even contest this match had it taken place in Rugby Championship would have been an easy win for NZ. If anything this match should tell the Bok coaches that a lot of this team should be changed. They beat this same NZ team by record margin with the same circumstances but with a different core. They bring back the tried and tested guys and they nearly botch this game.
146 Go to commentsI knew who wrote this article from the first few words in the headline…lol. The red card actually did the ABs a favour. It galvanized them, only then did they step up a gear. Before that there was zero momentum.
146 Go to commentsFirstly the foul on Bongi was a planned move just like the NZ master plan with Bryce Lawrence you kiwis are filthy fux perhaps try to play a cleaner game next time I doubt that’s possible tho but don’t worry world rugby is on yr side they trying to take away all the BOKS strengths to help all you weakling as Jeremy Clarkson would say LA OO ZA ERR..🤣
146 Go to commentsAbsolutely spot on Ben. I certainly wouldn't gloat over a win like that. Frustrating as it is it's done and dusted and history will forever show the result.
146 Go to commentsHo hum.
146 Go to commentsNo question they were the better team. But that is the beauty of sport isn’t it!
146 Go to commentsEveryone is into Hurling in Ireland according to Porter, but only 11 of Ireland's 32 counties enter a team into the national competition. Same old blarney.
1 Go to comments