Super Rugby is back. Whether you like it or night. Personally I am reinvigorated for rugby after a wonderful June test window. However I know not everyone is. The first game after the break should be one that gets the fans’ attention back with a snap. Unfortunately the battle between the bottom placed kiwi team and the bottom placed Aussie will only really interest fans from Auckland or Queensland. At best.
Form
Form could be arguably irrelevant considering the three or so week break between games. Well, both teams will be hoping as much because they’ve both been pretty average of late as part of pretty average seasons as a whole. The Blues have only had the three wins all seasons while the Reds have had four. The last encounter for each was a loss with the Reds going down to the Waratahs at Suncorp Stadium 41-52 and the Blues losing at home to the Rebels 10-20.
According to Opta Sports the Blues are undefeated in their last three games against the Reds (two wins and a draw) and the Reds have won just two of their previous 10 games away from home against the Blues (one draw and seven losses), with the most recent victory in such a fixture coming back in 2012.
Reds team
The Reds will be without Wallaby lock Izack Rodda with an injured shoulder as well as winger Izaia Perese with a knee injury. Harry Hockings will play in place of Rodda while Eto Nabuli is an intriguing selection on the wing for Perese, while Filipo Daugunu and Aidan Toua sit on the bench.
In returns to the team Jono Lance will finally start at fullback, having been a late pull out v the Tahs, while Lukhan Tui will play 6 as he did so wonderfully for the Wallabies last weekend. Reds fans are again treated to the exciting combination of halves Hamish Stewart and Moses Sorovi while Wallaby rookie frontrowers Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Taniele Tupou bring the muscle up front.
Blues Team
Way back in 2004 Blues legend Jerome Kaino made his Super Rugby debut against the Reds. It is ironic then that he will play the same team in this, his final match at Eden Park. The Blues also get to call on All Blacks in Reiko Ioane and Ofa Tuungafasi on the back of their series against France.
Dynamic rookie Caleb Clark will feature on the wing while skipper and half-back Augustine Pulu is under an injury cloud and remains doubtful at the time of writing.
Key Match Ups
Reiko Ioane v Duncan Paia’aua – Ioane was superb on the wing for the All Blacks against France, but finds himself at second-five for the Blues this week. With two tries in the first test and a hat-trick in the third, Ioane was at his irrepressible best in the 3-0 whitewash. However with Sonny Bill-Williams injured Reiko has been asked to wear the 12 shirt this week.
He’ll oppose Paia’aua who has been in and out of the Reds team in 2018. After a superb season last year, culminating with a Wallaby gig v the Barbarians, Paia’aua has been somewhat out of sorts this year. In saying that, the Reds’ attack has looked substantially better since his return to the starting side. His tackling technical deficiencies will be fully tested this match.
Jerome Kaino v Lukhan Tui – When Kaino runs out onto Eden Park this weekend, before flying off to France to finish his career, he will equal former team mate Tony Woodcock on 137 Super Rugby caps. It will place him equal second behind Keven Mealamu as the most capped for the Blues. While his form is not what it once was, his presence on the field is undeniable.
This weekend he faces one of the rising stars of the game in Tui. Fresh off the back of his remarkable test match performance on the side of the scrum, after such limited game play of late, Lukhan will again wear 6 on the weekend. It relegates the impressive Angus Scott-Young to the bench, but given how well he played against the Irish last week, the selection was never in doubt. Providing the Reds a third (or fourth) lineout option, and some much needed muscle around the field, the battle with the old bull Kanio could set off some seismic activity around greater Auckland.
Prediction
I actually think the Reds can win this one. I think their team is looking relatively settled and expect Brad Thorn to have them focussed on the challenge at hand. Meanwhile Tana Umaga is still struggling to get the best out of his Blues team and the pressure on him is building. Reds by 3.
Match Details
[one_third last=”no”]
Blues
15 Matt Duffie
14 Melani Nanai
13 Michael Collins
12 Rieko Ioane
11 Caleb Clarke
10 Stephen Perofeta
9 Augustine Pulu (c)/Sam Nock
8 Akira Ioane
7 Blake Gibson
6 Jerome Kaino
5 Matiaha Martin
4 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti
3 Ofa Tuungafasi
2 James Parsons
1 Alex Hodgman
Replacements:
16 Matt Moulds/Leni Apisai
17 Pauliasi Manu
18 Sione Mafileo
19 Jacob Pierce
20 Murphy Taramai
21 Jonathan Ruru
22 Bryn Gatland
23 TJ Faiane/Tumua Manu
[/one_third]
[one_third last=”no”]
Reds
15 Jono Lance
14 Jordan Petaia
13 Samu Kerevi
12 Duncan Paia’aua
11 Eto Nabuli
10 Hamish Stewart
9 Moses Sorovi
8 Scott Higginbotham (c)
7 George Smith
6 Lukhan Tui
5 Kane Douglas
4 Harry Hockings
3 Taniela Tupou
2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa
1 JP Smith
Replacements:
16 Alex Mafi
17 Harry Hoopert
18 Ruan Smith
19 Caleb Timu
20 Angus Scott-Young
21 Tate McDermott
22 Aidan Toua
23 Filipo Daugunu
[/one_third]
[one_third last=”yes”]
Match Details
Date: Friday 29 June 2018
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 19:35 local, 17:35 AEST
Referee: Egon Seconds (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Rasta Rasivhenge (South Africa), Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
Television match official: Ben “I just want to check something” Skeen (New Zealand)
[/one_third]
