Toeava back for Blues
17 Mar 2010
Keo.co.za brings you the latest Super 14 news from New Zealand.
Toeava back for Blues
Pat Lam has made one change to the Blues’ starting line-up to face the Brumbies in Auckland on Friday.
Isaia Toeava has recovered from his hip injury this week and has been selected at fullback, while Paul Williams drops to the bench.
Toeava’s fullback selection allows the Blues to field three specialist wings as Joe Rokocoko and Rudi Wulf are linked with speedster Rene Ranger, who remains at outside centre.
Hooker Keven Mealamu will lead the side in his 100th Super Rugby appearance for the Blues.
BLUES – 15 Isaia Toeava, 14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Rene Ranger, 12 Benson Stanley, 11 Rudi Wulf, 10 Stephen Brett, 9 Alby Mathewson, 8 Viliami Ma’afu, 7 Serge Lilo, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Anthony Boric, 4 Kurtis Haiu, 3 John Afoa, 2 Keven Mealamu (c), 1 Tony Woodcock.
Subs: 16 Tom McCartney, 17 Charlie Faumuina, 18 Filo Paulo, 19 Peter Saili, 20 Chris Smylie, 21 Daniel Kirkpatrick, 22 Paul Williams.
This thread will be updated throughout the course of the day…
14 Comments
17 Mar 2010, 07:07 am
“long time realising talent” dragon!
hope he can recapture last years form, by far and away our best player at the blues last year…
17 Mar 2010, 07:11 am
@poppa69: I reckon he has been shunted around too much. They should let him find his best position.
17 Mar 2010, 07:16 am
need a blues win here…
17 Mar 2010, 07:19 am
@WOLFMAN21: hey wolfman, I agree totally… another Frans Steyn really… last year think he come of age.
17 Mar 2010, 07:23 am
@poppa69: Yeah, but has been pushed between 13 and 15 again this year. Keep him at 13, let him compete.
Where do you reckon his best position is?
17 Mar 2010, 07:32 am
@WOLFMAN21: I was one who was never sold on his talents, but last year made me sit up and notice… tough call, would be happy for him to play either, but I like him at 15, has the boot and injects himself well into the line when needed…
17 Mar 2010, 08:59 am
Wont make 1 jot of difference to the Blues, its not like they need any more exciting backs overladen with flair.
What they need is the forward pack locked in a small dark room with Fitzy, Zinzan and AJ and not let out until they learn that they move forward inch-by-inch, as a tight unit under a blue blanket the size of a small tea-towel and that ‘passes’ are something best left for the bar after back-to-back wins.
What this Blues team needs is mongrel, not another highly-groomed poodle.
17 Mar 2010, 09:05 am
@Black Panther: 1000% with you on that BP..
17 Mar 2010, 11:33 am
@poppa69:
having said that, really hope Toeava takes his chances this season. He needs to. But he showed real glimpses of class last season. Too much too young, and it took Ma’a Nonu about 3-4 seasons to realise that.
17 Mar 2010, 12:11 pm
His best position is not in an AB side
17 Mar 2010, 12:21 pm
Graham Henry has been dreaming about a favorite position with Toeava though
17 Mar 2010, 13:55 pm
@chch – welcome back Carter:
ah, that wonderful anti-Akld phobia from the Cantabs all over again……zzzzzzzzzzz
You guys really should get out more.
17 Mar 2010, 15:05 pm
What a folly it is selecting Toeava at FB, he’s clearly a classy centre – by far his best position. So Lam selects a winger at centre instead (Ranger) and somehow the wholly-overrated Wulf somehow gets a run instead. Its shifting the deckchairs on the Titanic all over again.
Lam seems to have got the backing of someone very impt. His coaching career at this level is consistent with his 1 match for the ABs (vs Sydney) – embarrassing.
18 Mar 2010, 01:01 am
Blues to be their own worst enemy, again.
That backline is full of players who on any day could either win or lose you the game, when what they need is a few more level-heads. Apart from Stanley they don’t have that.
Even with Woodcock there that scrum should be destroyed. Afoa is overrated, and without Williams that lock and backrow is lacking some serious grunt.
Brumbies have a good chance of taking this in Auckland again as they did in 2008.
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