Blues
Tom McCartney has decided to swap Super Rugby for the Pro12 by signing a three-year contract with Irish side Connacht.
McCartney has been a consistent performer for the Blues since he made his Super Rugby debut in 2008 against the Chiefs.
He has since accumulated 64 appearances in the competition.
Veteran hooker Keven Mealamu will make his long-awaited return to Super Rugby against the Hurricanes in Wellington on Friday after battling back from another calf injury that sidelined him for more than a month.
The veteran Blues forward has battled calf injuries for the last three seasons and has played just once in 2014, as a second half replacement against the Crusaders on 28 February.
Former All Black Piri Weepu could potentially make a miraculous return to playing Super Rugby this weekend when the Blues face the Hurricanes in Wellington.
Thirty-year-old halfback Weepu has made a full recovery from a minor stroke and heart surgery and has returned to training.
Weepu says that he went through an emotional time a couple of weeks ago when he revealed that he had had a stroke before his two Super Rugby matches in South Africa and also a hole in his heart.
The Blues have called Hawke’s Bay Magpies and Maori All Blacks first five-eighths Ihaia West into their Super Rugby squad as replacement for the injured Baden Kerr who has been ruled out for the rest of the season.
After fracturing a bone at the base of his thumb in a pre-season match against the Hurricanes, 24-year-old Kerr then fractured two fingers playing rugby for his club side Karaka last month and was forced to have surgery, ruling him out of action for at least 12 weeks.
Brumbies (13) 26 / 9 (6) Blues (Final Score)
The Brumbies and Blues did battle in Super Rugby at
Canberra Stadium, Canberra at 10:40 SA Time (19:40 Canberra Time, 08:40 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Jerome Kaino will captain a Blues side featuring two changes to the one that defeated the Highlanders last week for Friday night’s clash with the Brumbies in Canberra.
In the absence of Luke Braid who moves to the bench after shouldering a heavy workload this season, 30 year-old Kaino will take over the reigns and Blues head coach Sir John Kirwan said he was the best man for the job.
Jerome Kaino is likely to take over the captaincy of the Blues when they travel to Canberra to face the Brumbies on Friday.
The 49-cap All Black is the most likely candidate to lead the team out in the absence of Luke Braid, who is struggling with a shoulder injury.
The Cell C Sharks continued to stamp their authority in the Vodacom Super Rugby competition this weekend as they secured their fifth victory of the season, while the Vodacom Bulls allowed a fourth successive victory to slip through their fingers and the DHL Stormers stumbled in their final tour match.
A strong second-half showing by the Cell C Sharks combined with a flawless kicking performance by flyhalf Fred Zeilinga, who punished the Waratahs indiscipline, earned the team a 32-10 victory at Growthpoint Kings Park.
The victory allowed the team to remain in pole position on the combined log table.
The Vodacom Bulls, meanwhile, had their fourth consecutive victory in their sights until the last minute of their clash against defending champions, the Chiefs, at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, but a last-minute try by Chiefs captain Aaron Cruden and successful conversion by Gareth Anscombe forced them to settle for a disappointing 34-34 draw.
The team departs for their Australasian tour knowing that their defence, in particular, needs attention after allowing a 31-15 lead to slip against the Chiefs.
In Brisbane, the DHL Stormers were unsuccessful in their mission to complete their Australasian tour with a victory against the Reds as they went down 22-17 following defeats against the Crusaders, Chiefs and Brumbies.
The Blues have suffered a hit in their second row stocks as veteran Tom Donnelly has been ruled out of Friday’s match against the Brumbies in Canberra with a calf strain.
Donnelly was on the bench for Saturday’s match against the Highlanders but did not get on after straining his calf during the warm up.
Blues (17) 30 / 12 (9) Highlanders (Final Score)
The Blues and Highlanders did battle in Super Rugby at
Eden Park, Auckland at 08:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 06:35 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Highlanders head coach Jamie Joseph has named his team to play the Blues at Eden Park in Auckland on Saturday with minimal changes to the one that beat the Hurricanes.
Blues and former All Black halfback Piri Weepu has suffered a minor stroke and is being given some time away from the game to get his health right.
Weepu has been suffering from sustained and intense headaches ever since the Blues left for South Africa at the start of March, and finally undertook scans on Monday to determine what was causing the problem.
Initial thoughts had been the problem was migraine related, but the Blues today confirmed Weepu had suffered a minor stroke and that he would not play in Saturday’s Super Rugby clash against the Highlanders at Eden Park.
Blues coach Sir John Kirwan believes he has the solution to rugby’s scrum problems and wants changes to be made immediately.
The 63-cap former All Blacks wing wants changes to occur to the scrum law in the middle of the season, in order to solve the issues and thinks that the IRB and SANZAR should work together to ensure the decisions are made.
The Lions and Vodacom Bulls flew the South African flag in Vodacom Super Rugby this weekend when they scored come-from-behind home victories on Saturday.
The side from Johannesburg scored two late tries to deny the Reds by 23-20 after they were still behind by 20-3 shortly before the break at Ellis Park.
In the process, Lions flyhalf and kicking ace Marnitz Boshoff became the first player this season to reach 100 points when he kicked his second penalty goal in the 40th minute of the match.
In the final match of the weekend, the Cell C Sharks lost their first encounter of 2014 when they went down 23-19 to a determined Vodacom Bulls side at Loftus Versfeld.
Blues (30) 40 / 30 (16) Cheetahs (Final Score)
The Blues and Toyota Cheetahs did battle in Super Rugby at
Eden Park, Auckland at 08:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 06:35 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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The Circus Ring Master has announced his team to take on the Blues in Aukland on Saturday morning. There are a few changes to the starting clown line up, one questionable, the others laughable.
The Cheetahs know they have a monumental mountain to climb if they are to end their three-match losing streak on their Australasian tour.
However, the players and management from last-placed Bloemfontein-based outfit, remain resolute in their believe that the turning point on a bitterly disappointing season is just around the corner.
SANZAR’s referee manager Lyndon Bray has ruled that the Lions were awarded an illegitimate try in the second half of their Super Rugby clash against the Blues at Ellis Park last weekend.
While attempting to score, Lions centre Deon van Rensburg lost the ball when he was tackled by Blues wing Charles Piutau.
The Blues are expect to welcome back a couple of All Blacks for their return home, when they face the Cheetahs in a Super Rugby Round Six match on Saturday.
Midfielder Ma’a Nonu is expected to be available, while loose forward Jerome Kaino is also due to be ready.
Blues coach John Kirwan is going to ask SANZAR for ‘clarity’ on a controversial TMO decision made in his team’s 36-39 loss to the Lions in Johannesburg at the weekend.
While Kirwan conceded the Lions were “deserved winners”, he still felt the need to raise the issue of the TMO decision.
Lions (17) 39 / 36 (0) Blues (Final Score)
The Lions and Blues did battle in Super Rugby at
Ellis Park, Johannesburg at 15:00 SA Time (13:00 GMT, 02:00 Sunday NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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The Blues and Highlanders of New Zealand have named their teams for this weekend’s Super Rugby clashes.
The Blues play against the Lions in Johannesburg.
The Highlanders play the Western Force in Dunedin.
Lions head coach Johan Ackermann has made several changes to the run on team to face the Blues at Ellis Park on Saterday.
Marnitz Boschoff reverts to Flyhalf, and there are starts for Willie Britz and Robbie Coetzee among the forwards.
Blues hooker Keven Mealamu has been forced to return home early from South Africa with a calf injury that is likely to cause Steve Hansen some concern as the All Blacks coach finalises his planning for the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
The veteran forward has battled calf injuries for the last three seasons and sustained another strain to his left leg ahead of the Super Rugby match against the Bulls in Pretoria last week.
I find this rare. It is usually the Bulls supporters looking for suitable Jacaranda trees to hang the coaches. The Stormers have their way to show displeasure in their team. But for New Zealand coaches to be under early pressure is something rare.
Australian teams played 13 game and won 8 off them , New Zealand team played 13 won 5 and South African teams played 18 games thus far winning 9 off them. This number could have been worse for New Zealand if the Stormers were able to defend their small margin.
Bulls (25) 38 / 22 (12) Blues (Final Score)
The Vodacom Bulls and Blues did battle in Super Rugby at
Loftus Versfeld, Pretoria at 17:05 SA Time (15:05 GMT, 04:05 Sunday NZ Time).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & M-Net on TV in SA.
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The Blues have named their team to play the Bulls on Saturday at Loftus Versfeld and have strengthened their front row with veterans Keven Mealamu and Tony Woodcock.
The All Black duo have been named in the starting team for the first time this season. After playing 30 minutes off the bench last week, the Blues and All Blacks centurions have been promoted to the starting XV and will form an all-All Black front row alongside Charlie Faumuina.
Akona Ndungane will become the ninth Vodacom Bulls player to play 100 Vodacom Super Rugby matches for the franchise when they take on the Blues at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday. The stalwart winger made his Super Rugby debut way back in 2005 against the Cats and earned his 50th cap for the Bulls in 2009, playing against the Reds in Pretoria.
Ndungane, who scored against the Blues in last year’s win in Auckland, will start in an unchanged backline, as all three changes to the starting line-up made by Vodacom Bulls coach Frans Ludeke, are in the forward pack.
Read this and see if you understand it. This was copied by me, nothing changed, no spelling corections made, from the Official SA Rugby Referee website.
The incident we have today must be the most bizarre in the whole of the time the TMO has been implemented to help referees get to the right decision.
Simon Hickey is the latest star to emerge from New Zealand’s flyhalf factory and he will be unleashed on the Bulls and Lions in the next fortnight.
Hickey, who made his Super Rugby debut in the Blues’ 35-24 win over the Crusaders at the weekend, has been added to their 27-man squad for the two-match tour of South Africa.
Blues (15) 35 / 24 (17) Crusaders (Final Score)
The Blues and Crusaders did battle in Super Rugby at
Eden Park, Auckland at 08:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 06:35 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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Simon Hickey will make his Super Rugby debut when he starts at flyhalf for the Blues against the Crusaders at Eden Park on Friday.
The New Zealand Under-20 playmaker and Auckland player of the year is in the Blues Wider Training Group but has impressed head coach John Kirwan enough to believe he should be given an opportunity to guide the team ahead of Chris Noakes who struggled against the Highlanders last week and falls out of the match-day squad completely.
Blues coach John Kirwan will have to dig deep into his midfield reserves ahead of their Round Three Super Rugby encounter with the Crusaders.
Star centre Francis Saili, one of the Blues’ best players in his team’s mostly lacklustre performance in their 21-29 loss to the Highlanders in Dunedin at the weekend, has joined All Black midfielder Ma’a Nonu on the sidelines.
Captain Luke Braid is another key player likely to miss the Eden Park showdown.
Highlanders (24) 29 / 21(0) Blues (Final Score)
The Highlanders and Blues did battle in Super Rugby at
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin at 08:35 SA Time (19:35 NZ Time, 06:35 GMT).
This was the live match discussion Article.
The match was broadcast LIVE on SuperSport 1, SHD & CSN on TV in SA.
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The Australian and New Zealand teams start Super Rugby a week later than their South African rivals and the New Zealand teams kick the season off with a match in Christchurch between a former champion, the Crusaders and the current Champions the Chiefs.
Here we take a brief look at the New Zealand teams and what could lie ahead for the New Zealand Super Rugby franchises.