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Why the Blues need to ‘have some deep conversations’ before playoffs
The Blues may have beaten the Highlanders 16-9 at Eden Park on Friday night, but they’ll still need to “have some deep conversations” ahead of the playoffs according to their captain.
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Skipper Dalton Papali’i returned from suspension for the final round of the regular season, and led the team out onto New Zealand’s home of rugby for a crunch clash with the Highlanders.
The equation was simple for both teams: the Blues could secure a home quarterfinal with a win over their New Zealand rivals, while the Highlanders were looking to clinch a playoffs berth.
Highlanders goalkicking ace Sam Gilbert recorded the first three points of the match with an early penalty goal, and added another successful attempt to the score shortly after.
But the Blues dominated possession, and were eventually rewarded for their relentless onslaught of attacking pressure.
Lock Patrick Tuipulotu, who captained the Blues in Papali’i’s absence, crossed for the first try of the night in the 29th minute.
The Blues took a hard-fought 16-6 lead into the sheds at half-time – and continued to play with plenty of possession and confidence after the break.
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But the Highlanders refused to throw in the towel.
For about 20 minutes, the hosts threw everything at the Highlanders, but couldn’t add to their score. In the end, another Sam Gilbert penalty was the only change to the score in the second term.
After the match, Papali’i said the Blues will “take some learnings out of that game” ahead of their home quarterfinal next week.
“The boys put in good work all week and I think we prepped well and man, those games, they’re tough ones,” Papali’i said post-game on Sky Sport.
“The good thing is that we got the win but we’ve gotta go into next week and have some deep conversations and really take some learnings out of that game because I think we left a bit of points out on the field there.
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“But it’s a credit to the Landers as well, they’re a bloody good side and they held in.
“We’ve got take some learnings from that game and implement them into next week.”
The Blues finished the contest with 63 per cent possession, but that stat was up in the mid-70s at one point during the second half.
But the that stat that matters the most is the scoreboard, and it wasn’t as one-sided as the Blues would’ve liked.
After failing to convert a number of try-scoring opportunities in the red zone, the Highlanders nearly made them pay.
Freddie Burns and Sam Gilbert both came close to scoring in the final quarter of the match, which could’ve set up a grand stand finish – or potentially golden point.
“We let a few slip and I could’ve done some different calls out there with penalties but at the end of the day it’s good learnings going forward and just happy to get the dub,” Papali’i added.
“It’s always good playing playoff footy at home and especially with these fans here playing at the Garden of Eden, can’t get any better than that.”
Alongside returning skipper Dalton Papali’i, rising star Anton Segner was more than impressive in the No. 7 jersey for the Blues.
Coach Leon MacDonald praised the Germany-born talent after the match, saying he’d found a “home” in that jumper.
But, much like his captain, MacDonald wasn’t completely satisfied with the result – describing it as “frustrating.”
“We felt we were creating plenty but just not able to get over the line, or if we did get over the line we got called back a little bit,” MacDonald said post-game.
“I thought the first half, discipline let us down but otherwise we had good control of the game. I thought we were playing in the right areas and then put a lot of pressure on the Highlanders.
“We had that period where we went to the scrum and we went down that road and we committed to that and probably lost a bit of shape with the game.
“Frustrating not to put some more tries on the board.”
“We talk a lot about patients and just taking our time when we get close,” he added.
“I thought we were patient but we just weren’t quite good enough and we have to look at the technical side of it when we get in there and see what we could have done better.
“We need to have a look at that.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Super rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
7 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
7 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
14 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
14 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
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