Highlanders

1 Ayden Johnstone
2 Liam Coltman
3 Tyrel Lomax
4 Pari Pari Parkinson
5 Tom Franklin
6 Shannon Frizell
7 Dillon Hunt
8 Luke Whitelock (cc)
9 Aaron Smith
10 Marty Banks
11 Tevita Li
12 Thomas Umaga-Jensen
13 Patelesio Tomkinson
14 Waisake Naholo
15 Ben Smith (cc)

RESERVES
16 Ray Niuia
17 Daniel Lienert-Brown
18 Siate Tokolahi
19 Josh Dickson
20 Jackson Hemopo
21 Folau Fakatava
22 Josh Ioane
23 Richard Buckman

Unavailable due to injury: Tevita Nabura – knee (season) Liam Squire (knee ) Rob Thompson (ankle)

@Stargazer Going to go Landers 13+

Very happy to see Plummer at 10.

Blues with some big names on the bench.

The Tuipulotu move makes sense - he can take over captaincy when Gibson comes off/he comes on.

15 Melani Nanai, 14 Tanielu Tele’a, 13 TJ Faiane, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Rieko Ioane, 10 Harry Plummer, 9 Jonathan Ruru; 8 Akira Ioane, 7 Blake Gibson, 6 Tom Robinson, 5 Josh Goodhue, 4 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 3 Sione Mafileo, 2 James Parsons, 1. Alex Hodgman.

Reserves: 16 Leni Apisai, 17 Ofa Tuungafasi, 18 Karl Tu’inukuafe i, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Dalton Papalii, 21 Augustine Pulu, 22 Otere Black, 23 Levi Aumua or Matt Duffie.

best set of bench forwards in the comp?

Not listed as injured, so Matt Moulds dropped for his bench warming performance vs the Sunwolves?

@mariner4life Not bad, apart from Apisai.

So does this mean that Plummer is our new 10? I'd be happy with it - but 9/10 are too important to how the team play to swap them aroudn randomly

@nzzp I don't the 10 selection is random. Plummer earned another start after the Sunwolves game. Let's see how he fares in an NZ derby.

The 9 is an issue given none of the halfback options have taken their chances and i'm not sure how many of the 3 will be with the Blues after this year.

It is worth noting this 8-9-10 combo played together a lot for Auckland last year.

@KiwiMurph said in Blues v Highlanders:

@nzzp I don't the 10 selection is random. Plummer earned another start after the Sunwolves game. Let's see how he fares in an NZ derby.

The 9 is an issue given none of the halfback options have taken their chances and i'm not sure how many of the 3 will be with the Blues after this year.

It is worth noting this 8-9-10 combo played together a lot for Auckland last year.

I'm absolutely not opposed to Plummer at 10, but I have horrible flashbacks of coaches not setttling on a 10 and working on them. I started writing down names, but got triggered, so just have a look into the stuff of nightmares.

I'd forgotten some. Piers Francis FFS. Simon Hickey, Chris Noakes, Baden Kerr and so on. And then we wrecked Stephen Brett and Nick Evans.

FML.

... and some memories:

Lachie Munro
2009-12
27 games
137

Munro had one of the stranger introductions to Super Rugby. He got a late call up to face the Sharks in a 2009 game, so late that he was at the races and had already drunk a beer before arriving 20 minutes into the game. A utility back who provided a bench option. After leaving the Blues he played in France.

Gibson was understandably a bit off the pace in his 50mins against the Sunwolves. Hopefully we can get a good hour out of him now

I want to see us start using Akira off the base in this game. Hunt had a nightmare game trying to tackle him during the NPC

This is a really important game for Nonu's season..

@nzzp still playing there in the Div 2 I think

@taniwharugby said in Blues v Highlanders:

@nzzp still playing there in the Div 2 I think

I love me some northland players, but he was probably not well suited to Super level. Had his limitations, and got run aroudn and ragdolled a number of times on the wing. Good goalkicker, though

@nzzp

I think the way Leon has handled Plummer so far has been fine.

It is understandable that they didnt want to chuck him in the fire of round 1 vs Crusaders or an early road trip.

They gave him some minutes in the early rounds and then preplanned gave him a start v Sunwolves.

The backline clicked much better with Plummer at 10 and so he gets another start.

The logic at 10 makes sense so far.

@KiwiMurph said in Blues v Highlanders:

@nzzp

I think the way Leon has handled Plummer so far has been fine.

I agree.

If we start chopping and changing, though, I'm going to keep throwing my toys as a rational and grown up fan. 'tis the only way

Akira Ioane will make his 23rd straight start and 37th game in a row for the Blues.

@Tim said in Blues v Highlanders:

Akira Ioane will make his 23rd straight start and 37th game in a row for the Blues.

fucking shirker

Not considered because of injury: Jimmy Tupou (knee), Jacob Pierce (ankle), Ezekiel Lindenmuth (knee), Stephen Perofeta (shoulder/pectoral), Caleb Clarke (knee), Jordan Trainor (thigh).

Jed Brown is off the injured list?

@mariner4life said in Blues v Highlanders:

best set of bench forwards in the comp?

If only Blake Gibson was on that bench it would be...

@nzzp one of those guys who played NPC good enough to be deserving of a super rugby spot, but was then found it was a bit beyond him, but problem I see in these cases, is where they take a punt on a player but sign them up for a multi year deal rather than a year with option to extend.

Surprised the mention of his name hasnt triggered someone yet...