Only three matches into Super Rugby Pacific, the Blues are at a crossroads as they face a confident Hurricanes in Wellington, albeit one without their talisman Ardie Savea.
After thrashing the Highlanders in Dunedin in round one with their traditional counter-attacking, ruck and run style, they had a serious malfunction against the Brumbies in Melbourne at the weekend and another defeat could paint a team that began the season as one of the competition favourites as a little mentally and physically fragile.
Their discipline was poor in Melbourne – they gave up 17 penalties to the Brumbies’ nine and had Caleb Clarke and James Lay sinbinned in the first quarter – and the way they were pushed around in the lineout drive, and to a lesser extent the breakdown, exposed flaws they were understandably keen to fix this week against a potentially difficult visit to the capital.
“We’ve got a lot to work on,” assistant coach Paul Tito said.
Tito, a former Hurricanes player and Wellington coach, is a lineout specialist and while the set piece itself was okay at AAMI Park (it was disastrous against the Crusaders in last season’s grand final), the Blues’ vulnerability to the driving maul will interest every other team in the competition.
If they don’t want to be seen as the proverbial flat-track bullies – apparently brilliant against struggling teams but poor against those with some starch in their pack – they need to quickly turn things around at Sky Stadium and there will be an onus on their forwards to be more aggressive.
There will also be a requirement to improve their defence close to the ruck and set piece.
Having recently coached Wellington at an NPC level, Paul Tito knows the talent the Blues will have to shut down in the capital this week. (Source: 1News)
“We know that teams will look at us and think we’re a bit fragile in that space,” Tito said.
Hooker Ricky Riccitelli, a try scorer against the Brumbies and another former Hurricane, added: “There’s been a really good edge at training this week. Obviously we’re bitterly disappointed at how we couldn’t capitalise on crucial moments against the Brumbies.
“Obviously we had to have a hard look at it and fix a few things. We put it down to attitude, just making sure we 100 per cent know our roles and go out there and front up.”
Talented 20-year-old Peter Lakai comes into the starting line-up for the Hurricanes following Savea’s one-match ban for his daft throat-slitting gesture against the Rebels at the weekend.
Lakai will play at No.8 alongside flankers Devon Flanders and Du’Plessis Kirifi. Veteran hooker Dane Coles will take over the captaincy.
“He’s a phenomenal player,” Tito said of Savea. “He’s played a lot of games for the Hurricanes and he’s their go-to guy. They’ll definitely miss him but they’ve got a guy who’s in there that I’ve been fortunate enough to coach at Wellington – Peter Lakai – and he’s pretty good too so whoever they put out in that crew, they’ll be coming for us.”
Riccitelli said: “Ardie’s a good player but you can’t take anyone lightly – they’re all good players, they’re all there for a reason. There are plenty of young players with a lot of talent. We’re preparing for a big challenge.”
Blues wing Mark Talea is unavailable due to a head knock, with prop Ofa Tuungafasi also out with concussion.
Loose forward Akira Ioane remains unavailable due to a knee problem.
“It’s early in the competition and we know we weren’t at our best against a good Brumbies side,” coach Leon MacDonald said.
“There’s certainly no panic around the place, we just want to see improvement in a few areas this weekend.”
There’s no panic for MacDonald but there will be an understanding that the Blues have to improve significantly to beat a side full of self belief and who have run teams off their feet with their unpredictable attack.
Blues team to play the Hurricanes at Wellington's Sky Stadium on Saturday, kick-off 7.05pm is:
1. Joshua Fusitu’a
2. Ricky Riccitelli
3. James Lay
4. Patrick Tuipulotu
5. Cameron Suafoa
6. Tom Robinson
7. Dalton Papalii
8. Hoskins Sotutu
9. Finlay Christie
10. Beauden Barrett
11. Caleb Clarke
12. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
13. Rieko Ioane
14. AJ Lam
15. Stephen Perofeta
Reserves:
16. Kurt Eklund
17. Alex Hodgman
18. Nepo Laulala
19. James Tucker
20. Adrian Choat
21. Taufa Funaki
22. Bryce Heem
23. Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens
Hurricanes:
1. Xavier Numia
2. Dane Coles (c)
3. Tyrel Lomax
4. James Blackwell
5. Isaia Walker-Leawere
6. Devan Flanders
7. Du’Plessis Kirifi
8. Peter Lakai
9. Cameron Roigard
10. Brett Cameron
11. Salesi Rayasi
12. Jordie Barrett
13. Billy Proctor
14. Julian Savea
15. Josh Moorby
Reserves:
16. Asafo Aumua
17. Pouri Rakete-Stones
18. Pasilio Tosi
19. Caleb Delany
20. TK Howden
21. Jamie Booth
22. Aidan Morgan
23. Riley Higgins
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