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New Blues captain's verdict on why Blues are on the rise again

By Online Editors
(Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)

By Patrick McKendry, NZ Herald

For in-form midfielder TJ Faiane, a stand-in captain with the sizeable boots of Patrick Tuipulotu to fill against the Lions at Eden Park this afternoon, the secret to the Blues’ improvement this season is simple — better fitness which has led to better decision-making.

That players have turned up to a new season in better nick than before is a common refrain but there seems to be real substance in it as far as the Blues are concerned.

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Certainly, it allowed No 8 Akira Ioane to get through 80 very good minutes in the victory over the Hurricanes in Wellington despite playing only a grand total of 12 previously this season, and that solid conditioning foundation has allowed for a greater workrate and a more ruthless edge when it comes to option taking.

“I think we’re a fitter team,” Faiane said. “Our strength and conditioning team have done well this off season to get the boys in good nick and we’re executing. We’re just mentally tougher I think.

“It’s not just the individual with the ball making decisions, it’s the guys around him. When you’re fitter you can do that under fatigue. That’s what we’re trying to do.”

The Blues have rarely been associated with the word “composure” over the last decade but they have become far more adjacent to it this season.

The form and leadership of Tuipulotu and the depth of the loose forwards where Akira Ioane, Blake Gibson, Dalton Papalii, Tony Lamborn, Tom Robinson and Hoskins Sotutu are vying for three starting positions and one on the bench, has flowed through to a backline well led by first-five Otere Black and a midfield partnership of Faiane and Rieko Ioane which is building nicely.

Stephen Perofeta missed a couple of high balls against the Hurricanes but has impressed at fullback, with Mark Telea a find on the left wing.

“The camp is happy,” Faiane said. “Monday is always good after a good win. We just have to keep our foot on the throat and keep our momentum going.”

He added when asked about his team’s position on the table: “You don’t win trophies after seven rounds.”

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The loss of Tuipulotu this week, due to an enforced All Black rest period is a blow but in theory this new version of Leon MacDonald’s team have the depth to survive it against the Lions. All of the squad are aware they have yet to win at home this season, however.

“He’s been probably our most consistent player so I’ve got big boots to fill,” Faiane said of the big Blues and All Blacks lock. “But I’ve got a good team around me so I won’t be doing it all by myself.”

And to cap off a remarkable few weeks and three consecutive wins, Beauden Barrett has finally started training with his new franchise and has made an immediate impact.

The two-time World Rugby Player of the Year is scheduled to run out for the Blues next month and possibly for the match against his former Hurricanes team at Eden Park on April 11.

“He’s quick eh, that’s the first thing I noticed,” Faiane said of one of the best playmakers in the world. “He’s a cool cat. He hasn’t really spoken up as much yet, I think he’s still feeling his way in. He’s smart and the team will be better with him in it.”

This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and was republished with permission.

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J
Jon 3 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

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j
john 6 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

28 Go to comments
A
Adrian 8 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

28 Go to comments
T
Trevor 11 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
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