Richard Loe: Get a game plan Blues or pay the price

The new Super 14 revealed itself more fully this week with disappointing performances from two teams at opposite ends of the experience spectrum - the Blues and the Force.

The Force were disappointing against the Hurricanes in that they had so much ball and territory but couldn't hold the ball for more than two or three phases before turning it over - and it raises the question again of whether the Super 14 is improved by having the two new teams there.

The Force at least have the excuse of being new boys.

The Blues can't say the same. They have so much talent, pace and power but they are not learning from their mistakes. They played the same game plan against the Highlanders as against the Hurricanes last week and I found myself shaking my head.

The basketball pass for the intercept try at the end was a perfect end to this performance by the Blues.

I said in this column last week that I thought the Blues might still have a good season, even after the loss to the Hurricanes. I am revising that opinion now. They do not seem to be connecting at halfback and first-five and I am afraid their game plan is just playing into the opposition's hands.

They are falling down at basic things - like Keven Mealamu not finding Ali Williams at the lineouts, although I must say Tom Donnelly and James Ryan spoiled well.

Their loose forwards were also outplayed and I think the Blues just sat on their hands after a Nick Williams try in the first half.

But it takes a lot to make a team gel. It takes a lot for players to get to know each other and combine well and we are seeing that with the Force. It will come right for them but the turnovers they made are a direct result of new players, a new team and not knowing each other's play. It takes a lot to make a team and that's true of rugby, gridiron, football or a team of dogs doing a muster up the hill.

Look at the Central Vikings - the marriage between Hawke's Bay and Manawatu. That didn't work and the team just didn't gel, in spite of the fact that they had Christian Cullen. Yet, when he went up a division, he shone. It takes time and combination and the Force will get there.

I wonder what the Blues' excuse is? They have such a good side on paper but I am afraid I must also question their game plan. Why go out and play that high-risk, high-speed, offload-type game when it didn't work the week before and this week's opposition will just be waiting for it?

I think they have got big problems this year if they don't fix the game plan and if they can't find a way to play together that suggests they know each other.

The other thing that blew me away was the scrimmaging - where Carl Hayman and Tony Woodcock had a really good battle, with both of them scoring points. But the Blues took Woodcock off!

I couldn't believe it. Their scrum fell over as soon as he was gone and Saimone Taumoepeau suffered in comparison - he spent all the time falling on his belly in front of Hayman and proved to me that he is nowhere near Woodcock's class.

Yes, both these teams in blue - the Blues and the Force - could end up with a bad case of the blues this year. The Force will maybe win three or four games. I'm wondering how many the Blues will win.