SuperRugby: Hurricanes v Blues. 04/05/2012

[Draggs]

Westpac Stadium, Wellington - 07:35 GMT, 04/05/2012

​

 

[Amobokoboko]

Wondering what the Blues will do?

 

[Draggs]

Wondering what the Blues will do?

Capitulate, play like a team of individuals.
Hobbs at 10, so they have their excuse ready.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I was tempted to back the Blues against the Reds last weekend (in Superbru) but thankfully decided not to. I will continue not backing the Blues.. against anybody. I did against the Rebels (after I said I wouldn't back them against anybody) and it came back and knocked me in the teeth.

 

[Larksea]

Lam has shuffled the deck chairs on the titanic again.

Hobbs comes in at 10 - Anscombe out
Stanley back into mid field
Ranger to the wing
Chris Lowrey in for Dan Braid who's out of the team

I don't know how Lam expects to get anywhere starting from scratch almost every weekend, that's what it's like watching the blues. It's like watching a bunch of players play together for the first time each weekend.

that loss to the rebels may be one of the lowest points in blues history. just bloody horrid.

 

[FlukeArtist]

Larksea,

The players probably feel that way too mate.
Every week there is another spin of the Selection Roulette Wheel.

Lam has no #^&*ing idea.

I heard this morning on the radio that its pretty much a done deal that he is signed up to coach the Blues again next year.

If that is the case, well the day has finally come that Auckland Rugby have decided to settle for abject mediocrity (and they'll be lucky to get that is this year's results are any indication)

What is the bet that Lam comes out at the end of the season and makes a comparison between what happened to him this year, and what happened to Henry in the '07 RWC.
Unfortunately Lam fails to recognize that Henry only lost one game, whereas Lam will have lost the Lions share (no pun intended)

 

[Draggs]

You know, for the first ten minutes of the SuperRugby season, I thought the Blues were going to do very well. Two quick tries against the Crusaders and all downhill from there.

 

[Larksea]

there is no way he can come back next year, too much coaching talent going to waste. Too many good coaches being lost overseas because there are only 5 professional head coaching jobs in NZ outside the All Blacks...

 

[admartian]

Yeah, other people need the opportunity.

I don't see there being any other logical reason for Lam to stay. His results certainly can't speak for themselves and it's not like they didn't try and give him the players this year.

He has to go, otherwise Auckland rugby will continue to regress, and so will our coaching ranks continuing to head overseas.

 

[FlukeArtist]

Well the good oil on Radio Sport today is that Lam is staying on

 

[Draggs]

Challenging Cardiff for "Most incompetent Blues coach" then?
I seriously wonder how he is able to keep his job. Yes the Blues have had injuries, but they still have an excellent side on paper.

Who would be the best option to replace him?

 

[nickdnz]

This is getting silly. I'm going to this match and I hope the Hurricanes embarrass the Blues with a total thumping. A win for the Blues would be the worst thing they could hope for, because it would lesson the pressure to get rid of Lam.

There are plenty of excuses Lam has to use. In 2011 Pat Lam said "This is the best team I could ask for" in that he got every player he wanted. Yes they got to a semi-final, but only by beating the Warratahs, who had none of their best players. Now Pat Lam is taking none of the blame.

Do you think it's your fault that the team is going poorly?
Pat Lam: No, it's players deviating from the game plan.
Do you feel that the team is learning?
Pat Lam: In some ways
Do you feel the season has been a disappointment?
Pat Lam: No, we just don't have the depth to fill some of the players who were injured
Do you feel that part of the problem with depth comes down to recruiting players in the off season?
Pat Lam: No, there was no way we could have known we'd lose so many players.

It's like an amazing trail of excuses. To be honest, on papar their team still has more All Blacks than the Hurricanes. Ali Williams, Kevin Mealamu, Tony Woodcock, Rene Ranger, Piri Weepu, Alby Mathewson, Benson Stanley, Anthony Boric, Ma'a Nonu, Rudi Wulf, Daniel Braid, most of these players have been avalible. Jerome Kaino is out for the season, but most of the other players have been avalible through at least half of the season anyway. Their injury run isn't anyhting every other coach doesn't have to deal with.

If he is back coaching the Blues, it'll be an embarrisment and it's no wonder Rob Penny just left for Munster.

 

[Draggs]

This is getting silly. I'm going to this match and I hope the Hurricanes embarrass the Blues with a total thumping. A win for the Blues would be the worst thing they could hope for, because it would lesson the pressure to get rid of Lam.

There are plenty of excuses Lam has to use. In 2011 Pat Lam said "This is the best team I could ask for" in that he got every player he wanted. Yes they got to a semi-final, but only by beating the Warratahs, who had none of their best players. Now Pat Lam is taking none of the blame.

Do you think it's your fault that the team is going poorly?
Pat Lam: No, it's players deviating from the game plan.
Do you feel that the team is learning?
Pat Lam: In some ways
Do you feel the season has been a disappointment?
Pat Lam: No, we just don't have the depth to fill some of the players who were injured
Do you feel that part of the problem with depth comes down to recruiting players in the off season?
Pat Lam: No, there was no way we could have known we'd lose so many players.

It's like an amazing trail of excuses. To be honest, on papar their team still has more All Blacks than the Hurricanes. Ali Williams, Kevin Mealamu, Tony Woodcock, Rene Ranger, Piri Weepu, Alby Mathewson, Benson Stanley, Anthony Boric, Ma'a Nonu, Rudi Wulf, Daniel Braid, most of these players have been avalible. Jerome Kaino is out for the season, but most of the other players have been avalible through at least half of the season anyway. Their injury run isn't anyhting every other coach doesn't have to deal with.

If he is back coaching the Blues, it'll be an embarrisment and it's no wonder Rob Penny just left for Munster.

Even with injuries their first XV should still be mid-table. I think they suffer the same problems as the Sharks right now, no leader on or off the field. XV full of caps and experience but simply rudderless.
I haven't seen any semblance of a game plan this season. If all else fails just chuck it to Nonu, not creative but it will gain some ground. Darwin and I had a discussion before the SR season started on the Blues. We questioned the lack of a reliable 10, but that is just one issue of many now.

Their losses aren't just a loss, they look simply atrocious.
Wonder if they will bring Henry in as a 'consultant' or DoR.

 

[Nicolaas]

why is gareth anscombe not even in the 22? injured or something?

 

[cyRil]

I think they suffer the same problems as the Sharks right now, no leader on or off the field.

Keegan Daniel...?

*Waits*

 

[Gena_ZA]

Blame should go to Plumbtree for making the two most prone to yellow card, one for over opportunistic play and the other for being plain stupid and pit-bull mentality captain and vice captain...

 

[Draggs]

Keegan Daniel...?

*Waits*

I see what you did there.

Already seen some supporters claiming we need a Smit/Terblanche influence in the side...

 

[FlukeArtist]

Anscombe is fine... Lam just thinks he'll benefit from being on the sideline. Saying something along the lines of "it will help his game"

In my experience, no player has benefited more from watching from the stands as opposed to running out on the field.

Another pearl of wisdom there from NZ's own Peter DeVilliers; Pat Lam

 

[admartian]

Well the good oil on Radio Sport today is that Lam is staying on

I kinda see where they're going wit this. Basically, their first point, and what they're saying is that last year, people were asking for the heads of Mark Hammett and Jamie Joseph. Yet they kept them on and look at it now.

To some degree, I agree with this. Sometimes, we as fans think we know better. However, the difference in those three coaches is that Lam has had a mediocre Blues side for years now. And they've always had the talent.

He really just couldn't do much with it.

Secondly, Tew's reasoning was that in a conference system, and in a conference like NZ, a team will inevitably be suffering. To this, I completely disagree with. There is no excuse for a team to play this bad. They may lose the games, but their performances have been lacking.

And you can't blame a competitive division for that.

Challenging Cardiff for "Most incompetent Blues coach" then?
I seriously wonder how he is able to keep his job. Yes the Blues have had injuries, but they still have an excellent side on paper.

Who would be the best option to replace him?

Dunno.

Anyone would do at this stage. Would at least introduce new ideas etc.

This is getting silly. I'm going to this match and I hope the Hurricanes embarrass the Blues with a total thumping. A win for the Blues would be the worst thing they could hope for, because it would lesson the pressure to get rid of Lam.

There are plenty of excuses Lam has to use. In 2011 Pat Lam said "This is the best team I could ask for" in that he got every player he wanted. Yes they got to a semi-final, but only by beating the Warratahs, who had none of their best players. Now Pat Lam is taking none of the blame.

Do you think it's your fault that the team is going poorly?
Pat Lam: No, it's players deviating from the game plan.
Do you feel that the team is learning?
Pat Lam: In some ways
Do you feel the season has been a disappointment?
Pat Lam: No, we just don't have the depth to fill some of the players who were injured
Do you feel that part of the problem with depth comes down to recruiting players in the off season?
Pat Lam: No, there was no way we could have known we'd lose so many players.

It's like an amazing trail of excuses. To be honest, on papar their team still has more All Blacks than the Hurricanes. Ali Williams, Kevin Mealamu, Tony Woodcock, Rene Ranger, Piri Weepu, Alby Mathewson, Benson Stanley, Anthony Boric, Ma'a Nonu, Rudi Wulf, Daniel Braid, most of these players have been avalible. Jerome Kaino is out for the season, but most of the other players have been avalible through at least half of the season anyway. Their injury run isn't anyhting every other coach doesn't have to deal with.

If he is back coaching the Blues, it'll be an embarrisment and it's no wonder Rob Penny just left for Munster.

Pretty much.

'Tis a shame we lost him. Could've done some magic with the Blues.

I too want a Hurricanes thrashing. I want Barrett to score 3 tries, Vito to score 6, Jane to score 4, and the rest of the team to score 2 each. Just to show the Blues that they need a new coach.

In all seriousness though, he's had a good core group of players for a while now, and even more so this year. If these same players can perform at a higher level, with a different coach, what does that say about Lam?

If it ain't the ingredients, then it must be the cook, right?

Even with injuries their first XV should still be mid-table. I think they suffer the same problems as the Sharks right now, no leader on or off the field. XV full of caps and experience but simply rudderless.
I haven't seen any semblance of a game plan this season. If all else fails just chuck it to Nonu, not creative but it will gain some ground. Darwin and I had a discussion before the SR season started on the Blues. We questioned the lack of a reliable 10, but that is just one issue of many now.

Their losses aren't just a loss, they look simply atrocious.
Wonder if they will bring Henry in as a 'consultant' or DoR.

Nothing to do with injuries really. Maybe a little. But franchises all over the world have won, and nearly won championships, with stars on the sidelines.

Just ask the Patriots, the Ravens, the Steelers, the Giants, the Packers of 2010 (their ENTIE teamw as pretty much injured save for Rodgers), the LA Lakers, the Yankees etc All these teams can continue to perform regardless of injuries.

And these are leagues with even more PARITY (read: a constant high level of competition, and VERY little 'gimme' teams like the Lions and Rebels - except Major League Baseball and the Bobcats of the NBA) than Super Rugby.

Anscombe is fine... Lam just thinks he'll benefit from being on the sideline. Saying something along the lines of "it will help his game"

In my experience, no player has benefited more from watching from the stands as opposed to running out on the field.

Another pearl of wisdom there from NZ's own Peter DeVilliers; Pat Lam

lol a more quiet PDV but PDV nonetheless.

 

[Draggs]

Pleading injuries is weak. Every side suffers their fair share of them, and it only masks the issue.

PdV is looking for a job you know.