Better but not good enough
Rugby writers MARC HINTON and LIAM NAPIER assess the Blues’ progress in Tana Umaga’s first year.
On the surface the Blues are going nowhere fast. Still last in the New Zealand conference and still playing an ill-fated game of catchup with their more forwardthinking New Zealand conference rivals.
But scratch just a little deeper and it’s easy to see that there has been progress under rookie coach Tana Umaga. Enough, maybe, to offer hope to long-suffering fans who must be wondering what New Zealand’s most populous region does with all its rugby talent.
Yes, for a third straight season the Blues have finished last in the Kiwi conference, but this time with a degree of honour, compared to last year’s disgraceful 3-13 effort that sent then coach Sir John Kirwan packing.
The Auckland franchise actually finished with a winning record for the first time since 2011, and there were real signs at the finish, with back-to-back victories over the Brumbies and Waratahs, that a game-plan, structure, discipline and even culture were emerging.
Here’s our assessment over four key categories:
This has been a big step in the right direction, but have they done enough to appease long suffering fans? And grade the campaign.
Marc Hinton: Seven less defeats than 2015, and five more wins. That’s progress in anyone’s book. Blues fans are forever hopeful, so another playoff miss will fall short of the expectations of many. Fair enough. But Rome wasn’t built in a day. And Umaga really is rebuilding from the ground up. Blues fans should be more encouraged than appeased. At last they’re bringing through some excellent young talent, their culture seems to have taken a discernible shift and there are even signs of a game-plan, and the discipline to stick to it, emerging. Grade: C
Liam Napier: Their three wins last year – their worst season – should not be considered a baseline. As far as their talent base and resources are concerned, this year’s results must be the minimal expectation. Supporters can be encouraged by the freedom and confidence the Blues harnessed at the back end of this season. In a competitive Kiwi conference they are somewhat unlucky to miss the playoffs. But there’s plenty of improvement left yet, and they must make the playoffs next year to fully convince. Grade: C+
Which player has made the biggest impact over the season?
MH: It looked like it was going to be the deliciously talented Rieko Ioane before he disappeared to chase sevens glory. Skipper James Parsons was an honest toiler, Jerome Kaino showed his class over the back end, while Ihaia West, Piers Francis and Melani Nanai had their bright moments. But look no further than makeshift No 8 Steven Luatua for a man who embodied the positive strides of this troubled franchise. The big loosie has a lot to prove and on the back of an excellent body of work in 2016 he showed he’s intent on redemption.
LN: Josh Bekhuis was one of the most consistent figures, controlling the lineout. Unheralded Englishman Francis added solidity in midfield; Steven Luatua found his stride late, as did Jerome Kaino. But Melani Nanai was the success story. Born in Samoa, Nanai emerged with Otahuhu only to be recruited to Manukau Rovers by former All Black Frank Bunce. His progression from the club scene speaks volumes, and his electric talents look to have found a home at fullback.
Amid much fanfare Umaga was chosen to turn this ailing franchise around. Has the rookie coach proven he’s the right man for the job?
MH: Most definitely. This was never going to be a one-year job but the former All Blacks skipper has made the sort of progress that suggests it might be a three-year one. Given he inherited most of Sir JK’s squad, and had to hurriedly cobble his own coaching team together, the results have been encouraging.. Intrinsics needed fixing, like culture, game-planning and teamwork, and we’ve seen significant progress there.
LN: Not yet, but he’s done enough to earn a little breathing space. In many ways the first year is the most difficult. While it’s considered the honeymoon period, Umaga inherited this squad, built a new coaching team and attempted to input a number of new systems. All of that should be easier in year two. The man himself has rarely been flustered, even after the embarrassing 43-5 loss to the Lions in Jo’burg. Most importantly, he’s been embraced by all players, both publicly and privately, and continues to demand more.
For the Blues to take the next step from pretenders to contenders in 2017, they need to ...
MH: Be good enough to roll their Kiwi cousins on a regular basis. Figure out the No 10 conundrum (can West grow into a world-class playmaker? Can Francis? Do they go hunting offshore?). Build a gameplan round Sonny Bill Williams. Improve Ofa Tu’ungafasi’s scrummaging. Get more out of their All Blacks. Expect victories, not hope for them. Unleash the Ioane brothers. Just keep improving. Simple as that. Year one was good. Year two has to be better.
LN: Swiftly integrate headline recruits Williams and Augustine Pulu, along with lock/loose forward Jimmy Tupou. Umaga must also get the best from his All Blacks earlier. Winning away from home remains an issue, with the only road victories coming against the lowly Force and Kings. Consistency from playmakers will be also be crucial. But, overall, the groundwork has been laid.