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New Blues captain's verdict on why Blues are on the rise again
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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Comments on RugbyPass
Wasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
3 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
3 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
3 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI 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.
30 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.
9 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.
30 Go to comments