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Seven All Blacks stars return to Blues lineup for Western Force clash

By Alex McLeod
Credit: Derek Morrison / www.photosport.nz

Seven All Blacks – headlined by Caleb Clarke, Akira Ioane and captain Dalton Papalii – have returned to the Blues lineup for their clash against the Western Force on Friday.

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Clarke, Ioane and Papalii are joined by fellow New Zealand internationals Finlay Christie, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Alex Hodgman – who is in line for his 50th Blues cap – and Luke Romano in their return to the Auckland-based franchise’s starting team.

Their additions represent seven of 11 changes made to Leon MacDonald’s starting side following their disjointed 35-18 Super Round win over the Fijian Drua at AAMI Park in Melbourne last Saturday.

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The inclusions of Clarke and Ioane are arguably the most significant of the lot, though, given the former has missed the last three weeks through suspension, while the latter hasn’t played at all this season due to a foot injury.

Clarke was handed a three-week suspension after colliding with the head of Moana Pasifika wing Tomasi Alosio at Eden Park earlier this month, and hasn’t been sighted since.

Ioane, meanwhile, has been sidelined throughout the entirety of the Super Rugby Pacific campaign thus far as a result of a Lisfranc fracture sustained during pre-season.

Both will mark their returns to action at HBF Park this weekend, and they will be joined by Papalii, who was given last week off after starring in the previous week’s blockbuster win over the Crusaders in Christchurch.

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Together, Ioane and Papalii form a brand-new loose forward trio which also features rookie No 8 Anton Segner.

Of last week’s starters, No 8 Hoskins Sotutu is one of three All Blacks, including midfielder Rieko Ioane and prop Nepo Laulala, on rest weeks, while blindside flanker Tom Robinson sits out after picking up a minor knock against the Drua.

In Laulala’s absence comes Tu’ungafasi, who is one third of an entirely new front row that is also made up by Hodgman and hooker Kurt Eklund.

The remainder of the forwards are made up by locks Romano and Sam Darry, who is the only survivor in the starting pack from last week’s win.

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In the backline, star five-eighths Beauden Barrett and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck are the only two players retained in their respective positions by MacDonald.

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Barrett will resume his halves partnership with Christie, while Tuivasa-Sheck will create a fresh midfield combination with Bryce Heem.

Out wide, last week’s man-of-the-match AJ Lam shifts to the right wing to accomodate for Clarke’s return, while Zarn Sullivan slots in at fullback in place of Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens.

All Blacks loosehead prop Karl Tu’inukuafe, tighthead prop Marcel Renata and utility back Tanielu Tele’a are joined by five new faces on the bench, all of whom started against the Drua.

Those players include hooker Ricky Riccitelli, lock James Tucker, flanker Adrian Choat, halfback Taufa Funaki and wing Mark Telea.

In a statement released on Wednesday, MacDonald said his side need to be on point in their away match against the Force, whose match last week against Moana Pasifika was postponed due to a Covid outbreak within their squad.

“This is a well-respected rugby region and we know it is an extremely hard place to come and be successful,” MacDonald said.

“We are aware they were hit with Covid, as all the New Zealand teams have experienced, but equally they are freshened after not playing last week.

“We have huge respect for the Force and for both the rugby in general in Western Australia and the tremendous support the game gets in this part of the world.

“We played a little into the Drua’s hands last weekend, and we know we will need to be more assertive at set-piece and at the collision but at the same time ensure our defence is both aggressive but disciplined.

“While we are obviously pleased to have won a bunch of games on the trot, believe me, we are not looking at the points table. The focus continues to be session-by-session, day-by-day and game-by-game.”

Kick-off for Friday’s match between the Blues and Western Force is scheduled for 7:59pm local time [11:59pm NZT].

Blues team to play Western Force

1. Alex Hodgman
2. Kurt Eklund
3. Ofa Tu’ungafasi
4. Luke Romano
5. Sam Darry
6. Akira Ioane
7. Dalton Papalii (c)
8. Anton Segner
9. Finlay Christie
10. Beauden Barrett
11. Caleb Clarke
12. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
13. Bryce Heem
14. AJ Lam
15. Zarn Sullivan

Reserves:

16. Ricky Riccitelli
17. Karl Tu’inukuafe
18. Marcel Renata
19. James Tucker
20. Adrian Choat
21. Taufa Funaki
22. Tanielu Tele’a
23. Mark Telea

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J
Jon 4 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”?

35 Go to comments
j
john 7 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.

30 Go to comments
A
Adrian 9 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

30 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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