[2017 Super Rugby] Round 14: Blues vs. Chiefs (26/05/2017)

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: Eden Park​

Time: 09:35 CAT (SA, GMT+2)​

 

[The Jones Boy]

Oh dear, I fear another whipping for the Blues.
Since the Stormers smashed our first five out of contention we are really going to be up against it when the Chiefs come to visit?

 

[Larksea]

yeah but the chiefs have issues of their own to deal with. Donald and Mcnicol are unlikely after failing HIA's last weekend and While Ngatai is in the clear again he will likely be rested another week so midfield stocks are well down. All this injury activity in midfield and Faauli's suspension has also meant that ALB has been overworked. Guy deserves a week off but hes the last man standing.

maybe See Faauli back? I'm not sold on TNW's defense in midfield. Chiefs also recently called in that young Tasman midfielder? he got a run in SA I think hes worth another look...

 

[Larksea]

its hard to see this being a whipping, the blues have been close to NZ teams all season and have even had the better of games at times but just failed to get results. Despite the stormers result I think the blues are coming into some form. But all the travel from the 1 game SA trip will also be a factor.

 

[Captain_Az]

Cheifs looked really good last week can't see the Blues winning this one with the Chiefs hitting some form. Could easily be blown out with nothing really to play for.

 

[Larksea]

you think a team coached by Tana with All Black selections on the horizon for a lions series is going to take the field with a "nothing to play for" attitude?

blues are desperate for a win over a NZ team, and there are a bunch of blues players who want to be in the lions series. IMO Its going to be a brutal NZ derby game as per usual.

 

[Penne Rara]

ALB should be rested in an ideal world. This match will be a grinding test for both teams, there's a lot of strength in the Blues midfield and nobody wants the best midfield combination (Crotty - ALB) compromised ahead of the Lions tour.

 

[Radsy]

Agreed with Larksea. This will be no blowout. I disagree with your take from last week re: Leitch. I thought he was much improved. Harris stiffened the scrum, but was THE weak link in the defensive line.

James Lowe proved Hansen right again in a big game. He shouldn't be selected playing that kind of defense.

 

[Larksea]

strong blues side, Francis has recovered and is named to start. I think this team pretty much signals how important this game is to the blues

Michael Collins, Matt Duffie, George Moala, Sonny Bill Williams, Rieko Ioane, Piers Francis, Augustine Pulu, Akira Ioane, Blake Gibson, Steven Luatua, Scott Scrafton, Patrick Tuipulotu, Charlie Faumuina, James Parsons, Ofa Tu'ungafasi

Replacements: 16 Hame Faiva, 17 Alex Hodgman, 18 Sione Mafileo, 19 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 20 Kara Pryor, 21 Sam Nock, 22 Stephen Perofeta, 23 TJ Faiane

 

[Larksea]

chiefs side, as expected no Ngatai, Donald or McNicol unfortunately.

Damian McKenzie, Tim Nanai-Williams, Anton Lienert-Brown, Johnny Fa'auli, James Lowe, Aaron Cruden (co-c), Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Liam Messam, Sam Cane (co-c), Mitchell Brown, Brodie Retallick, Dominic Bird, Nepo Laulala, Nathan Harris, Kane Hames. Reserves: Hika Elliot, Siegfried Fisi'ihoi, Atu Moli, Taleni Seu, Lachlan Boshier, Jonathan Taumateine, Solomon Alaimalo, Shaun Stevenson


But I do like Messam at 8 and Boschier from the bench. Faauli will be interesting, hes had a lot of time away to work on his game since he was suspended. carries well but the lack of a playmaker at 12 was holding things up and we did a lot better when ALB moved in. Cruden needs to work on feeding the space outside when its there.

 

[The Jones Boy]

We're gonna get walloped, bloody mooloos.

;-)

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

Looking at those line-ups, there's not a lot in this one. Chiefs by 5.

 

[Ground We Won]

Would love the Blues to nick this one, they're due a derby win. At home to the Chiefs is their best bet.

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

Would love the Blues to nick this one, they're due a derby win. At home to the Chiefs is their best bet.

I would also love to see the Blues take this, and this is definitely their best bet at winning a local derby. But I reckon Cruden will just be the difference between the sides in the end... his direction and influence will out-shine Francis and give the Chiefs that extra edge imo. I hope I'm wrong though.

 

[Ground We Won]

Crudes will probably be the difference for sure. I also think the Blues lack bottle and composure. I don't rate Moala in a tight spot either. Goes missing and doesn't fight. He's great on the front foot, but when you look to him in a tight game he's non-existent.

If McKenzie is kicking I can see the Chiefs winning, but if Cruden is on the duties it might keep the Blues in the game.

 

[Bob]

Sbw better bring the goods against his young, unproven opposite. He needs to cos Cruden will out class piers morgan. Alb should prove he's better than moala too. As should Lowe for ioane. Liam Nesson vs akira will b a good battle too

 

[Larksea]

Crudes will probably be the difference for sure. I also think the Blues lack bottle and composure. I don't rate Moala in a tight spot either. Goes missing and doesn't fight. He's great on the front foot, but when you look to him in a tight game he's non-existent.

If McKenzie is kicking I can see the Chiefs winning, but if Cruden is on the duties it might keep the Blues in the game.

I dont agree on your Moala point at all, the strong point of his game is he is the one that produce the front foot ball in the toughest of situations and has come up with some key plays at important times. And the majority of time over the last few years when the blues have been at their worst he is constantly been their best player.

I hope McKenzie is kicking too but by the sound of it Cruden is determined to kick and he is the Captian

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

Yea I reckon Cruden will be kicking too, Rennie said during the week that they believe that Cruden is the best goal-kicker... which is interesting to say the least lol. On the Moala thing, I think it's harsh to say he 'goes missing' in tough situations. He's one of the better guys in those situations because he can usually get you front foot ball and make the hard yards. I've never seen him as one to go missing under pressure.

 

[The Jones Boy]

Moala has the ability to make something out of nothing.
With SBW being out for the first chunk of the season and now the line up changing again it's been an unsettled Blues midfield.
I am yet to see a committed 80 minute performance from the Blues this year but they are improving slowly.
I doubt that will be enough against a slick Chiefs franchise.
22 points to the Chiefs.

 

[Ground We Won]

Yea I reckon Cruden will be kicking too, Rennie said during the week that they believe that Cruden is the best goal-kicker... which is interesting to say the least lol. On the Moala thing, I think it's harsh to say he 'goes missing' in tough situations. He's one of the better guys in those situations because he can usually get you front foot ball and make the hard yards. I've never seen him as one to go missing under pressure.

It's also harsh to say you 'don't rate Fekitoa' . I don't know man, in most of the NZ derbies Moala has been pretty non-existent and I consider most of those the real trial along with some of the tougher South African away games. Some of that can come down to the 1st 5 issue, Francis has been decent though.

He does a lot of good stuff and has impressed me vs foreign opposition, but we all know how weak they've been, Faddes and Thompson have looked like All Blacks against some of them, but the Blues have been the worst NZ franchise for quite some time now and his performance vs Ireland was not good at all, these are facts. There were some real make or break games this season for the Blues and he didn't do much at all truthfully. It's all fun and games showing up vs the gumboots, but when it comes down to the crunch, you want to be a match winner, where I think Fekitoa has a big edge over him.

He does some good runs, but I don't think he does near enough for the plaudits he gets. I think Fekitoa gets a real lack of credit for some of the great tries and performances he puts in in comparison. I'll be watching him closely this game though, enjoyed the discussion the other day Larksea and really keen to see how this pans out. Don't mind eating humble pie when it comes to the All Blacks and producing great players.