Super Rugby Aotearoa: Blues player ratings vs Highlanders
The rampant Blues took on the Highlanders in Round 3 of Super Rugby Aotearoa. The southern men came off a bye and a last gasp victory vs the Chiefs while the home team were sitting on 6 wins from their last 6 outings.
The persistent rain stopped before kick-off but right from the get-go, it was apparent the Eden Park surface was very greasy. After a few early slips, the players coped well.
In the end, the Blues scraped through 27-24 after a brave comeback from the Highlanders in the second half.
Here’s how the Blues players performed.
1. Alex Hodgman – 7.5/10
Got put on his bum on his first carry but moments later punching through straight as an arrow to set up the Caleb Clarke try. The fact he lasted until the 68th min before being subbed was a testament to his hard work, topped the tackle count for his team.
2. James Parsons – 6.5
Continued his error-free professional play in 1st half but missed an important tackle on Pari Pari Parkinson early in the 2nd half that led to Mitch Hunt try, then missed a line out throw moments later. Sneaky little grubber at 57 to garner a penalty, then unselfishly slipped the ball to Dalton Papalii off the line out maul that led to a try.
3. Ofa Tu’ungafasi – 7
Gave Sam Gilbert a warm, shuddering welcome after 8 mins and was solid at set-piece.
4. Patrick Tuipulotu – 6.5
Not as influential as previous weeks, but put in some big hits – notably one chassis shaker on Parkinson in the 31st minute.
5 Josh Goodhue – 6
Good solid performance but taken off at halftime with a wrist injury
https://www.instagram.com/p/CB7sDagAdFu/
6. Akira Ioane – 5
The fear that Akira might not be up for the work rate expected at 6 didn’t surface last week but appeared against the Highlanders. Outplayed by Frizell and dragged at 55.
7. Dalton Papalii – 7.5
Great player with good game sense and power, he made a reasonable fist of 7. Rewarded for a solid chase to score try in 24th minute after a Hoskins Sotutu charge-down and a second at 58 minutes off the line out maul. Some bruising runs down the right flank defying the cover defence to stay in play.
8. Hoskins Sotutu – 7
Some lovely touches during the game. An energetic chase and charge down for the first Papalii try. Outplayed by Tu’u in the open but crucial defensive play for maul turnover as Highlanders pressed in 78th minute.
9. Sam Nock – 6
Some nice touches in the first half including some heady cover defence to deny Jona Nareki in the 18th minute. After halftime, he had two little slips that led to Mitch Hunt’s try and was pulled after 59 minutes.
It's always a little perplexing when the biggest controversy to kick off a match has nothing to do with what actually happens on the field ? #SuperRugbyAotearoa #BLUvHIGhttps://t.co/dhAGZQi6SA
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 27, 2020
10. Otere Black – 6.5
Some really good wipers kicks into the corners in the first half that created pressure that led to points. Placekicking a little askew, he’ll be looking over his shoulder with Dan Carter getting up to match fitness.
11. Caleb Clarke – 8.5
Take a google of some video of Bryan Williams from the 70s and the resemblance is starting to get uncanny. Every game he looks more and more like the great All Black; the thighs, the sidestep and the acceleration! Power personified to score the first try at 6 minutes, amazing run in the 28th min to set up Rieko Ioane.
12. TJ Faiane – 6
Mils Muliaina described him as methodical pre-kickoff; he is crucial in the balance of the Blues backline.
13. Rieko Ioane – 5.5
Had the good finish, running a great line of the Clarke break but other than that, found it hard to break through the Tomkinson and Thompson midfield defensive screen.
14. Mark Telea – 5.5
Maybe the opposition has seen more tape of him since the start of the season but he seems to be struggling to continue to make the yards in open play.
15. Beauden Barrett – 8
Taunted Scott Gregory with his kicking game and inserted himself into the game well.
The Blues have dangerous runners across the park but their kicking game is really coming to the fore in #SuperRugbyAotearoa. Could it be DC's influence? ? #BLUvHIGhttps://t.co/Vs26N0jLnF
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 27, 2020
Reserves:
16. Kurt Eklund – N/A
17. Marcel Renata – N/A
18. Sione Mafileo – N/A
19. Gerard Cowley-Tuioti – 5.5
On at halftime for Goodhue and didn’t seem to be up to speed. Caught out a couple of times in defence as Highlanders surged back with two tries after halftime.
20. Tony Lamborn – 6.5
On at 56 and made a big difference at the breakdown.
21. Finally Christie – 6.5
On at 59 and upped the energy.
22. Harry Plummer – N/A
23 Joe Marchant – N/A
On in the 67th minute for his last hurrah before his return to England. Interesting to see how his experience at the Blues translates into his Harlequins performances.
Comments on RugbyPass
Ever 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
1 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 Crusades , you can keep going.
1 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!😭😭😭 !!!
24 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
24 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.
24 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.
24 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 comments