Three for the price of one: Is this the playmaker combination that can get the Blues back on track?
The Blues created only one clear chance in their defeat to the Crusaders – and scored from it through skipper and lock Patrick Tuipulotu. Now, in a major reshuffle of his backline, Leon MacDonald has named three playmakers in a bid to unlock the Bulls’ defence in Pretoria.
Otere Black returns from a rib injury suffered in pre-season to start at No 10 on Sunday morning, with Harry Plummer replacing TJ Faiane at second-five and regular first-five Stephen Perofeta starting at fullback.
Lock Jacob Pierce earns his first start of the season in place of Josh Goodhue, who injured an ankle against the Crusaders, and there is a re-shuffle among the loose forwards, with Tony Lamborn back at openside flanker and Tom Robinson at No 6, with in-form Hoskins Sotutu staying at No 8.
The Blues’ inability to breach an admittedly excellent Crusaders’ defensive line in the second half of their match at Eden Park last weekend has prompted MacDonald’s triple playmaker gamble. It’s clear too that his side will want to play a fast game against a Bulls team yet to win this season without neglecting a kicking strategy on the highveld.
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“We’ve picked a team that allows us to find the space we’re looking for, I suppose,” MacDonald said. “The playmakers we’ve got, their skillsets – obviously we want to play a smart game at altitude so there’s going to be some kicking I’m picking. But also we need good communicators with the skills to get the ball where we need it.
“Otere has been training really well after his injury and we feel he deserves the opportunity.”
Fullback is not an unfamiliar position for Perofeta, who is also likely to play a big role there when Beauden Barrett finally steps on to the field in a Blues jersey in mid-April.
“Stevie is probably one of our form players, especially with ball in hand,” MacDonald said.
“He’s been pretty electric. He played a bit there in pre-season last year before he picked up a season-ending injury so we know he’s really capable. He’s an allrounder.
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“Harry has played a lot at No 12, especially in the age groups. More recently he’s been at No 10. He’s a big strong guy. I think he suits No 12. He’s quite physical with the way he carries and tackles. We have to manage our team well. TJ has already clocked up a lot of minutes.”
MacDonald’s playmaker strategy appears a horses for courses approach, but he added:
“This is Harry’s opportunity and if he grabs it, it could be a long-term thing.”
MacDonald confirmed Black, the most accurate of the Blues’ goalkickers, would get the kicking duties.
For the playmakers to have any impact the forwards need to improve their set-piece performance significantly, something skipper Tuipulotu was confident they had done. Last weekend the Crusaders picked off their lineout almost at will and while the Bulls have yet to score a try in their two matches this season, they have a huge and powerful pack.
Ben Lam is just the latest in a long line of dynamic outside backs that New Zealanders never got to see on the highest stage, writes @realmikepulman. #AllBlackshttps://t.co/pCChubSka6
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“We’ve come up with a new plan that’s exciting for us,” Tuipulotu said. “We’ve had a hoodoo put on us in terms of our lineouts over the last couple of weeks. It’s not good enough to win Super Rugby games. We’ve been putting in the work.
“They’ve got the height on us but we back our ability and game to get around the park.”
MacDonald added: “Our basics of the game weren’t good enough last week and we’ve talked about that. We’ve talked about our decision making and skill execution.”
Wing Rieko Ioane is yet to fully recover from his hand fracture but could be in the frame for next weekend’s game against the Stormers in Cape Town.
Blues: 15. Stephen Perofeta, 14. Emoni Narawa, 13. Joe Marchant, 12. Harry Plummer, 11. Mark Telea, 10. Otere Black, 9. Jonathan Ruru, 8. Hoskins Sotutu, 7. Tony Lamborn, 6. Tom Robinson, 5. Jacob Pierce, 4. Patrick Tuipulotu (c), 3. Sione Mafileo, 2. James Parsons, 1. Karl Tu’inukuafe.
Reserves: 16. Kurt Eklund, 17. Ezekiel Lindenmuth, 18. Ofa Tuungafasi, 19. Aaron Carroll, 20. Dalton Papalii, 21. Sam Nock, 22. TJ Faiane, 23. Matt Duffie.
This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and is republished with permission.
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Comments on RugbyPass
The 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….
76 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 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
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
2 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to comments