Blues coach Vern Cotter and captain Dalton Papali’i have endorsed young lock Sam Darry as a replacement for the injured Patrick Tuipulotu at the All Blacks as well as the franchise.
Darry, 23, will start in the second row for the Blues in Friday’s Super Rugby Pacific semifinal against the Brumbies at Eden Park following Tuipulotu’s knee injury which will rule him out for up to seven weeks.
Tuipulotu was a near certainty to make Scott Robertson’s All Blacks squad for next month’s two Tests against England and one against Fiji but will now be aiming to return for the Rugby Championship which starts in August.
Robertson will have to cast around for two locks to join Scott Barrett and Tupou Vai’in the squad — with Darry a possibility.
“He’s got an opportunity,” Cotter said. “We’re looking at locks around the country and he’s got an opportunity this weekend against Australian locks to show what he can do.
“That Paddy is unable to carry on is not such a bad thing when you have someone like Sam able to step up.
“He’s grown this year, Sam. He was quite a timid, quiet, well-mannered young man. He’s starting to have an edge to his game. He’s a great leader at the lineout.”
Loose forward Papali’i, who will take over the captaincy from Tuipulotu, said of Darry: “He’s grown so much as a player and even as a professional. I truly think he’s going to be an All Black.
“He reminds me of Sam Whitelock and even Ali Williams – just hard men who get the job done. He doesn’t shy away from the physical stuff. What separates him from the rest is that he doesn’t look past the basics… he’s come a long way.”
Cotter, in his first year as Blues head coach after taking over from Leon MacDonald, added: “When I got the job he texted me straight away and said ‘what do I need to work on’. We went through a few things. He’s acquired techniques and strengths and has just added to it. Part of that was his physical presence and density – being able to shift bodies in front of him, and his carries.”
Darry will have an important role in attempting to subdue the Brumbies pack at Eden Park.
The Blues have already beaten the men from Canberra this season – a 46-7 thrashing at Eden Park in April.
This week, Brumbies captain Alan Alaalatoa said his side had to muscle up against the Blues and his comments have not gone unnoticed in Auckland.
“They’ve publicly said in the last week that that was a game they took a lot from, especially around the collision and contact areas,” Cotter said. “They’ve told us via the press this week that they’ll be ready and able to dominate us so that’s been taken on board by the boys.”
Darry will start after coming through a concussion protocol. Loose forward Akira Ioane, set to leave for Japan after this season, has also been named to start despite not training today due to a calf issue.
The Hurricanes play the Chiefs in the other semifinal in Wellington on Saturday afternoon.
Blues team to play the Brumbies at Eden Park, kick-off 7.05pm: 1. Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 2. Ricky Riccitelli, 3. Marcel Renata, 4. Sam Darry, 5. Josh Beehre, 6. Akira Ioane, 7. Dalton Papali’i (c), 8. Hoskins Sotutu, 9. Finlay Christie, 10. Harry Plummer, 11. Caleb Clarke, 12. AJ Lam, 13. Rieko Ioane, 14. Mark Tele’a, 15. Stephen Perofeta. Reserves: 16. Kurt Eklund, 17. Joshua Fusitu’a, 18. Angus Ta’avao, 19. James Thompson, 20. Adrian Choat, 21. Taufa Funaki, 22. Corey Evans, 23. Cole Forbes.
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