So Dalton only had a minor niggle and there's positive noises about Rieko's quick recovery. So I guess that means not many changes

I suspect more experimentation will come after this game

Probably rotation in the loosies again? It's Dalton's turn to be on the bench but he's captain so perhaps it will be Akira (personally I would like to see DP & AS on the flanks and AI at 8, I think the game might be shifting back to large 8's)

I don't know if we can trust Eklund's throwing. Riccitelli to start?

I'd like to see Funaki on the bench too. Nock wasn't trusted off the bench in a tight game

Heem looked slightly off the pace. Maybe Lam comes back into the 23?

Franks suspended for 2 weeks with the red card update.

Go the Blues! This will be our year as the first time i haven't had a season ticket since 06

Isn't Tony Brown onboard for Blues this week after his south Africa visit

@george33 Hopefully, we're playing like a team that doesn't have a backs coach currently.

@African-Monkey think he is 3 month contract should take him to the final

If the Blues can’t….

The photos of training today showed Tuipulotu taking part

@george33 is he going to play this weekend?

@Duluth someone on the radio last night was saying he was hitting people hard in training. So quite possibly he's playing

@ACT-Crusader said in Blues v Crusaders:

If the Blues can’t….

Get on them then , at $1.50!

You just know they get up for these games - this is a real acid test; if they can't execute this weekend, when will they? Will a few players back from injury really make that much of a difference?

Blues went through this with Pat Lam where we dropped 5 on the bounce - injuries, brain explosions and refs calls - but ultimately that was the start of the slide. Up to that point the poor operational and governance hadn't really smashed the onfield stuff, but it really did from there.

@Duluth he sent me a smiley face, so I'm guessing without him confirming it that he will be in the 23, Well find out at 4pm,

besties!!

Tamaiti Williams back this week

1 Ofa Tu’ungafasi
2 Ricky Riccitelli
3 Angus Ta’avao
4 Patrick Tuipulotu (c) *100th Blues Game
5 Laghlan McWhannell
6 Akira Ioane
7 Dalton Papali’i
8 Hoskins Sotutu
9 Finlay Christie
10 Stephen Perofeta
11 Caleb Clarke
12 Bryce Heem
13 AJ Lam
14 Mark Tele’a
15 Zarn Sullivan

16 Kurt Eklund
17 Joshua Fusitu’a
18 Marcel Renata
19 Josh Beehre
20 Adrian Choat
21 Taufa Funaki
22 Harry Plummer
23 Cole Forbes

Players not considered: Sam Darry (knee), Rieko Ioane (concussion protocol)

Reiko good decision

@Chris said in Blues v Crusaders:

Tamaiti Williams back this week

Miss print on instagram Newell starting.

On paper the Blues should win here but I feel like the Crusaders are on the up. Intriguing contest again.

@george33 but might be included come friday

@george33 said in Blues v Crusaders:

@george33 but might be included come friday

who were you replying too?

@Kiwiwomble Reiko

@george33 said in Blues v Crusaders:

@Kiwiwomble Reiko

Reiko is on here? Imagine the breakfast stories he could tell!

Patrick was always gonna play this game he could have played in Sydney, but Xtra week, sorry guys I couldn't give a positive answer , mates r mates

@Chris Is Tamati back let's hope so the game needs him ?

@george33 said in Blues v Crusaders:

@Chris Is Tamati back let's hope so the game needs him ?

No mate that was a mis print Newell playing TH.

@Chris thought he mite be bit early, what's the oil on Blackadder did he get another flair up injury wise?

@george33 said in Blues v Crusaders:

@Chris thought he mite be bit early, what's the oil on Blackadder did he get another flair up injury wise?

Just being Careful I hear due back after the bye along with McAlister and Burke.

Ben O'Keeffe is the ref. Not the news Blues fans will be wanting.

@Bovidae Crusaders by a thousand.

@Bovidae said in Blues v Crusaders:

Ben O'Keeffe is the ref. Not the news Blues fans will be wanting.

Oh FFS.

Why is Segner not in the 23?

@chimoaus said in Blues v Crusaders:

Why is Segner not in the 23?

Haven't seen any comment

Maybe he has a niggle? It wouldn't be the first time this year the injured list didn't include small knocks

Just having a break, the Blues pack is massive I've got it at 935kg the boys have all put on 2-3 kg under Vern , his style

Darry will be at Auckland, next year after Canterbury contract ends , must be following Segner

@Bovidae said in Blues v Crusaders:

Ben O'Keeffe is the ref. Not the news Blues fans will be wanting.

Why the hell not? In top 4-5 refs in the world, so why would the Blues problem??

@george33 said in Blues v Crusaders:

Darry will be at Auckland, next year after Canterbury contract ends , must be following Segner

Yeah Canterbury have a lot of young locks coming through.
Gallagher,Cahill,Hannah plus a couple in the u/20s Sa,Jack and Frost.
He played poorly in last NPC for Canterbury time to move on.

Darry had had few injuries as Gallagher has had good for NZ rugby these guys coming forward

@chimoaus said in Blues v Crusaders:

Why is Segner not in the 23?

All blacks rest

@Dan54 said in Blues v Crusaders:

@Bovidae said in Blues v Crusaders:

Ben O'Keeffe is the ref. Not the news Blues fans will be wanting.

Why the hell not? In top 4-5 refs in the world, so why would the Blues problem??

Refs differently against the Blues, particularly when it's the Cantabs. When the pressure comes on he is wildly inconsistent.

He earned the nickname Ben O'Thief.

Mate I a neutral, so I can assure you I see it differently. He's only called O'Thief by poor losers, as is the case when anyone does it about a ref.

@Chris said in Blues v Crusaders:

@george33 said in Blues v Crusaders:

Darry will be at Auckland, next year after Canterbury contract ends , must be following Segner

Yeah Canterbury have a lot of young locks coming through.
Gallagher,Cahill,Hannah plus a couple in the u/20s Sa,Jack and Frost.
He played poorly in last NPC for Canterbury time to move on.

Looking at the locks to come out of the Canterbury region the past 5 years (both those schooled there and those imported) and I really think the Crusaders have missed out on the best two (Holland and Darry).

I won't comment on those U20s guys, but IMO Gallagher, Cahill and Hannah all end up as journeyman. Darry could join them there, but he looked quite good in pre-season plus the early minutes prior to his injury.