The Blues have accepted Dalton Papali’i’s three-week ban for his high tackle against the Crusaders without complaint, saying they immediately knew it was a bad one.
Papali’i, the Blues captain, will miss the rest of his team’s regular season because of his act of foul play against Crusaders and All Blacks No.10 Richie Mo’unga during the home side’s 15-3 victory in Christchurch.
Asked when the Blues decided to plead guilty at the disciplinary hearing on Papali’i’s behalf, assistant coach Daniel Halangahu said: “I think we decided to not fight it about two minutes after he did it. Look, there was no intent there and Dalts has a great record with these things which is why he got a reduction.
“But we’re all for things being safe. We’d hate to see one of the All Blacks’ 10s getting injured because of a mistake like that from Dalton, so we’ll wear it and we know he needs to be better than that, but in saying that he’s played hundreds of games in his career and not done that.”
Halangahu said there was a wider significance at play, too, of accepting Papali’i had made a mistake and vowing to be better, along with the message sent by disciplinary committee.
“We want it to be a safe game that mothers and fathers think is safe for their children,” he said.
Stand-in skipper Patrick Tuipulotu said: “It’s all about player safety and that’s at the forefront of why he’s been banned.
“Our technique is always going to be a work-on, it’s never going to be perfect.”
Papali’i’s suspension leaves the Blues light on leadership in the pack as they attempt to get back into the competition’s top four, starting with the Reds in Brisbane on Friday. Adrian Choat will start in the No.7 jersey, with Akira Ioane at blindside and Hoskins Sotutu at No.8.
Beauden Barrett starts again at No.10 but Finlay Christie, Rieko Ioane and Caleb Clarke are on an All Blacks rest week.
With Harry Plummer and Bryce Heem named in the midfield, there is still no room in the starting line-up for Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, although he is named on the reserves bench.
“For a guy with a broken hand… it was always going to take a bit to come back,” said Halangahu of Tuivasa-Sheck, who wasn’t selected to play the Crusaders.
“All we want to see is what everyone wants to see – footwork, to see him beating people, and it’s up to us as a group to put him in those situations because we know when he’s in space he’s untouchable almost. “
And while the Blues have lost four of their five matches this season against what could be considered “difficult” opposition – the Crusaders twice, Chiefs and Brumbies – he felt last year’s beaten finalists were on the right track.
“If you compare it to this time last year, we peaked about this time. This year we’re looking to peak a bit later and keep building our game.”
Asked about the team’s inability to win the crunch games this year and whether there was a “monkey” on their backs, Tuipulotu said: “I don’t know if it’s a monkey but there’s something on our back we have to shake off.
“Looking to the finals, if we get in, we’re obviously going to play those teams and it’s a chance for us to step up and let our actions do the speaking rather than letting ourselves down.”
SHARE ME