'That hurts': Blues determined to avoid repeat of 2018 Rebels loss at Eden Park
It’s been four years since the Blues were stunned by the Melbourne Rebels in front of their home fans, but the Aucklanders haven’t forgotten about that dark day in their recent history.
During a dismal 2018 Super Rugby campaign that saw them finish ahead of only the last-placed Sunwolves, the Blues suffered the ignominy of losing to the Rebels in a 20-10 defeat in front of a dire Eden Park crowd of little more than 6000.
That round 16 loss was the first time the Blues had ever been beaten by the Rebels on their own turf, but it was the way in which the proud franchise seemingly went down without pulling a punch that stung the most.
It’s for that reason that Blues assistant coach Dan Halangahu has ensured that his players haven’t forget that result as they head into their first match against the Rebels in Auckland since that match four years ago.
“They’re one of the few teams that can boast about travelling across the ditch and having a win at Eden Park, so that’s in our memory as well, that the Rebels have come here and had success, and that hurts,” Halangahu said on Wednesday.
“That hurts our team, and we have a recent history of a team that has one over us, so we’ll be going out there to correct that.”
Halangahu’s comments are timely given the Crusaders were on the losing end of a shock result that saw the Waratahs pick up a rare win over the Christchurch-based franchise last weekend.
That same round, the Brumbies outclassed the Hurricanes in Canberra while the Rebels did enough to topple Moana Pasifika in Melbourne.
All in all, the Australian sides proved their competitiveness in the most recent round of Super Rugby Pacific action, as exemplified by the fact that the Reds and Force were both within four points or less of wins over the Chiefs and Blues, respectively.
This Friday’s fixture between the Blues and Rebels shapes as a more imbalanced one, though, given the hosts are riding high at the top of the Super Rugby Pacific table after nine wins on the trot.
The Blues also emerged victorious the last time they faced the Rebels, trouncing them 50-3 at AAMI Park in Melbourne to open their title-winning Super Rugby Trans-Tasman series last year.
Therefore, they are heavy favourites to deliver a similarly emphatic win over their Australian counterparts, but Halangahu believes the Rebels, and the Australian franchises as a whole, deserve far more credit than they have been given.
“We’re not looking at the table, we’re not looking at who’s to come. We’re respecting what the Rebels have done. They’ve been a team that has pushed sides,” he said.
“Over the recent weeks, they’ve been really unlucky in a couple of their performances against some of the powerhouses that you mentioned, the Brumbies and the Reds.
“They’ve been unlucky in a number of games, so we know that them and themselves is an occasion.”
Despite their poor record this year, registering just three wins from 10 matches to find themselves in eighth place and 25 points astray from the Blues, Halangahu said the Rebels are more than capable of punishing his side.
He made note of their mauling prowess, spearheaded by the likes of Wallabies locks Matt Philip and Rob Leota, as well as the long range goal-kicking accuracy of Wallabies utility back Reece Hodge.
Halangahu said if the Blues don’t improve the ill-discipline they were guilty of in their last two matches against the Fijian Drua and Western Force, the Rebels could easily use either of those facets of their game as weapons to score from.
“I think the first one, which is part of the game that all rugby lovers are obsessed about at the moment, is the maul,” he said of the threats the Rebels pose.
“They scored maul tries and they’ve stopped maul tries, so it’s a huge part of the game, as much as Marshy [Justin Marshall] wishes it wasn’t.
“We know it’s a huge part of the game and it’s where they’ve had success, so I know these big boys, I’m sure they’ve spent a lot of time doing things that I don’t quite understand this week. That’s one thing.
“Outside of that, they’ve got a few world-class backs. Reece Hodge kicks the ball further than just about anyone, and he’ll punish us.
“Our discipline hasn’t been good enough, and if we do that against Hodge, they could be taking penalty shots from well inside their own half.
“Couple of key points for us is being disciplined and, if not, knowing that they’ll either go for the corner and put pressure on us at maul time, or they’ll be taking three points.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Ben 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.
19 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.
7 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.
19 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.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
19 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
19 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
86 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
3 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
9 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
19 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to comments