Power play pays off for Blues
The Blues bristled when they were tagged ‘‘South African’’ in style.
But they shouldn’t have. Not only was it a compliment, it might also be the most important shift they’ve made in their metamorphosis from pretenders to contenders over the past couple of seasons.
As the Auckland-based franchise prepares for a seismic top-ofthe-table Super Rugby Aotearoa clash against the Crusaders at Eden Park on Sunday, it does so with its third-year head coach Leon Macdonald all but endorsing the theory espoused by the Highlanders last week.
The Highlanders suggested the Blues resemble a South African side because of the challenge posed by their ‘‘massive’’ pack and their desire to play a more deliberate, slightly slower paced game.
Of course, no one was suggesting that the Blues are onedimensional in any way, even if they might have interpreted it so.
What the Highlanders were getting at, and what Macdonald reinforced after the Blues’ 39-17 victory that made them two from two in 2021, was that the Auckland franchise had finally figured a few things out about their identity.
The Blues have made several shifts since Macdonald came in to head a coaching and franchise shakeup in 2019, but none have been as important as the discovery of a sense of selfawareness.
‘‘We’ve got to play to our strengths,’’ said Macdonald when asked by Stuff about the importance of the balance of their game between power up front and pace out wide. ‘‘We’ve got powerful ball-carriers and some strong men, and to try to move around and play recklessly is not smart. We’ve done that, and learned our lessons over the last couple of years.’’
What the Blues have done for most of last season, and for the first two matches of this one is play to their strengths.
It has been a while coming, but they at last seem to have figured out what sort of a rugby team they are, and have their gamedrivers on board in terms of field position and option-taking.
They now have four All Black props, with the addition of Nepo Laulala to the trio of Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Karl Tu’inukuafe and Alex Hodgman (out injured for the opening two matches), who bookend a pair of pretty serviceable hookers in Kurt Eklund and Luteru Tolai. Their power factor up front is notable and deep.
Skipper Patrick Tuipulotu is the linchpin of the second row and their loose forwards are spearheaded by a trio of powerful All Blacks in Hoskins Sotutu, Akira Ioane and Dalton Papalii.
Again, this is a group that embody the ‘bruise brothers’ identity.
Ioane was outstanding against the Highlanders with 54 running metres on nine carries (two clean breaks, three defenders beaten). Sotutu weighed in with 62m on 10 runs himself, while Papalii led the tackle count with 12, against just the single miss.
However, this Sunday’s match is a different challenge, for sure. The Crusaders, champions the past four years, are far more equipped to handle the Blues up front, and indeed will fancy their chances of providing their own squeeze around the set piece and on the drive.
But they are better equipped to play the game at speed, where Richiemo’unga’s ability in broken play and a backline that excels in the chaos tend to cash in on defensive lines that are not well set.
Blues fans are clearly eager to see their team tested against the benchmark of this competition. It remains the final step in their team’s evolution.