Season not over for Blues prop
The Super Rugby Aotearoa title might be beyond the Blues’ reach this season, but prop Karl Tu’inukuafe feels there’s still plenty to play for.
The Chiefs’ dramatic 26-24 win over the Hurricanes last weekend, andf the 29-6 loss to the Crusaders meant the Blues can’t make the final, regardless of the outcome of Saturday’s game against the Chiefs at Eden Park.
In other years that would mean, there would be only pride at stake when the two near neighbours go up against each other. But while that rivalry will still be alive, for the Blues it doubles as a preseason game for Super Rugby Trans-Tasman, which kicks off on May 14.
‘‘Now that we haven’t been able to do the job in this competition, we can look forward to a new one,’’ Tu’inukuafe said.
‘‘We’re lucky in having that come up, so that we can hopefully finish the year on a high.’’
How up for Saturday’s game the Chiefs coaches will be is debatable, as they’ll obviously have eyes on the bigger prize against the Crusaders in the final the following weekend.
But for the players, it will be a game neither team wants to lose and as a former Chief, Tu’inukuafe knows how important it is to win this derby.
‘‘I love going against the Chiefs, they’re a good side,’’ he said. ‘‘I came from there and I know how they play and how much they don’t like the Blues and it will be returned now I’m here.’’
Regardless of the game now having little meaning for the points table, it should still be an entertaining spectacle. Both teams play entertaining rugby and without any must-win pressure, the Blues and Chiefs could look to give the ball plenty of air.
‘‘It’s always exciting to play the guys down the road and they always bring the physical niggle and we’ll be looking forward to it. ‘‘These two teams always have a good rivalry. So we’ll be trying to prove a point and see who’s the best in this area.’’
While the Blues have something to look forward to for the remainder of the season, what happened last weekend was a bitter blow. Not only because they lost, but finding out back in the changing shed that their chances of playing in the final had gone. ‘‘The boys were pretty gutted,’’ Tu’inukuafe said.
‘‘We tried our best but we just fell short with some things that we tried to execute and we’re lucky enough to have another competition to prove ourselves again and hopefully we can make the final in the Australian comp.
‘‘We’re just our own worst enemy,’’ he lamented. ‘‘The only reason why we didn’t do as good as we could was because of our own downfall and we’re looking forward to being better with that in the next competition.