Auckland Blues To Infinity and Beyond
- Thread starter cyclopath
- Start date
zer0
John Thornett (49)
Only about four potential starters there. No matter. Shouldn't take long to surpass the peak of last season where Akira Ioane was the sole 1st XV player in the pack while just about all the rest were on short term contracts.
I imagine the opening of the season will go as thus: get beaten up by the de facto All Blacks in Rd 1. Immediately jump on a plane across the Indian Ocean to get beaten up by the Shjaarks. Wheel the remains straight back onto the plane and off across the Atlantic to get beaten up by the Argentine test team. Scoop whatever is left back onto the plane, and fly it across the Pacific in time to become the first NZ team to lose at home to the Sunwolves. Enjoy the bye after the Sunwolves game. Smashing. I'm sure WR (World Rugby) will be happy as that'll generate a bit of interest in Nippon.
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
Melani Nanai heading o/s at season end:
https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/s...ues-and-auckland-winger-melani-nanai#comments
https://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby/s...ues-and-auckland-winger-melani-nanai#comments
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
Zero in-season comment in this thread.
Thank fucken God.
Been the usual Blues season.
4 games to go and locked in the customary spina bifida battle with the Sunwolves, a phantom-limb of a franchise that doesnt even fucken exist any more, for the goddamn stupid wooden spoon.
Every bloody year.
Still haven't beaten a NZ team in any away match since Adam was in short pants.
ffs
Thank fucken God.
Been the usual Blues season.
4 games to go and locked in the customary spina bifida battle with the Sunwolves, a phantom-limb of a franchise that doesnt even fucken exist any more, for the goddamn stupid wooden spoon.
Every bloody year.
Still haven't beaten a NZ team in any away match since Adam was in short pants.
ffs
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
".....no, for the last time, it's pronounced GIF, not fucken JIFF. Who the fuck is this anyway? That you Cyclo?"
"I heard there's only one bloke on the whole ship. The captain. He thought it was going down so he stayed on the ship. Turns out the dumb thing was too stupid to sink."
"...no, for the last time, it's pronounced GIF, not fucken JIFF. Who the fuck is this anyway? That you Cyclo?"
No
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
Thank GOD my shaky stream caused me to miss the latest fun instalment in The Debacle That Never Ends. A denouement of nadirs c/o The Nadal's of Denouement.
Seriously, fuck these clowns right up their pea-brained clackers.
Up 21-5 versus the worst team in Australia? "Yeah don't worry, we got th
Seriously, fuck these clowns right up their pea-brained clackers.
Up 21-5 versus the worst team in Australia? "Yeah don't worry, we got th
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
Just imagine if messrs Jack Goodhue and Braydon Ennor, NZ rugby's current golden duo of 2019, both from Auckland Blues catchment area, had actually gone to the Blues.
Thank God they didn't, says all of New Zealand.
The both of them would have been ignored. Not early maturing island boys who carved up at high school therefore wouldve never got a look in. Probably right now playing club rugby for Marist and trying to hook up a 2nd division club gig in France or some shit.
Artists Projection of Braydon Ennor circa 2025 if he'd gone to the Auckland Blues:
Artists Projection of Jack Goodhue casting an eye over his first ever Auckland Blues training session:
Thank God they didn't, says all of New Zealand.
The both of them would have been ignored. Not early maturing island boys who carved up at high school therefore wouldve never got a look in. Probably right now playing club rugby for Marist and trying to hook up a 2nd division club gig in France or some shit.
Artists Projection of Braydon Ennor circa 2025 if he'd gone to the Auckland Blues:
Artists Projection of Jack Goodhue casting an eye over his first ever Auckland Blues training session:
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
zer0
John Thornett (49)
I'm going to have to disagree here. Both Goodhue and Ennor played 1A, and were tagged as exceptional players in the Auckland academy. But Goodhue wanted to go to university -- such as Lincoln is -- to be a farmer, and the Canterbury/Crusaders academy had links with UC that was appealing to Ennor. Links that the Auckland/Blues don't have with UoA.
Unfortunately Ennor will stay in Christchurch and form a midfield pairing with Goodhue, who will likely be moved to second five. That works for the Crusaders, but not for the All Blacks who need Goodhue playing at centre, not second five. It'd be somewhat ironic if if's the Crusaders who end up buggering up Conrad vII by not being team players.....
On that note, it'll also be interesting to see what happens in a few years when the Blues have Gibson, A.Ioane, Papali'i, Robinson and Michael Jones Jr on the books. Will NZR let them hoard that talent, or will they suddenly dial back the clock and break it up for the greater good (the greater good)?
Unfortunately Ennor will stay in Christchurch and form a midfield pairing with Goodhue, who will likely be moved to second five. That works for the Crusaders, but not for the All Blacks who need Goodhue playing at centre, not second five. It'd be somewhat ironic if if's the Crusaders who end up buggering up Conrad vII by not being team players.....
On that note, it'll also be interesting to see what happens in a few years when the Blues have Gibson, A.Ioane, Papali'i, Robinson and Michael Jones Jr on the books. Will NZR let them hoard that talent, or will they suddenly dial back the clock and break it up for the greater good (the greater good)?
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
Blues'll need every last one of them.
Gibson gets injured putting his pants on.
Akira will be a knackered carthorse within a year having played every minute of every match every week dating right back to his high school first XV debut at the age of 3.
Robinson will be fine though, everyone knows Ranga's don't feel pain.
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
At the risk of over-exciting Dismal, zer0 & KiwiM, both NZHurld & stuff are running stories about Loss Bleus' attempts to get Beaugan to transfer up those ways.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12239520
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...nes-locked-in-talks-to-retain-beauden-barrett
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12239520
https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/rugby...nes-locked-in-talks-to-retain-beauden-barrett
waiopehu oldboy
George Smith (75)
^ yeah, and you've got quality 10's coming out every orifice, eh 
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
zer0
John Thornett (49)
More seriously, Barrett would be 30 in 2021 (the year he would likely start playing for the Blues, following an expected Japanese sabbatical). He's a player who relies overwhelmingly on his speed to be a threat from first five, and has nothing close to the game management/kicking skills of late-career Carter to compensate once that speed inevitably dissipates. So it'd be a hard no for me. In Black (24), Perofeta (22), and Plummer (20) they have three young first fives who they can develop and pick the best of/best suited to MacDonald's strategy. Running after ageing players from other teams is exactly the sort of old Blues dumb shit they should definitely not be doing.
Save the cash and throw it at Super Rugby level players at hooker, halfback and centre (and also maybe fullback).
Save the cash and throw it at Super Rugby level players at hooker, halfback and centre (and also maybe fullback).
Dismal Pillock
Michael Lynagh (62)
way too sensible for the bumbling Blues board. They're probably seeing a big signing as a way to get the masses back to Eden Park. Never mind the actual logistics of the on-field rugby stuff, its all just big business to those tools. "This Bartlett guy could be our next Sonny Bill!"
Dan54
David Wilson (68)
How will the NZRU stop them, they actually have no say where anyone signs. if anyone feels he not getting enough game time to press for higher honours, sure as shit they will move.