Injury-hit Blues keep cards close to chest

Viliame Waqaseduadua will start on the right wing against the Brumbies in place of Doug Howlett but the Blues are keeping other selection scenarios under wraps. Picture / Brett Phibbs

The Blues conceded only Doug Howlett's omission yesterday as they guarded the rest of their Super 14 selection puzzles for their game against the Brumbies on Saturday.

Viliame Waqaseduadua will replace Howlett, who has hamstring troubles, on the right wing at Eden Park but the Blues' final selection will not be revealed until medical checks on other players are completed later today.

Openside flanker Daniel Braid is under the most scrutiny because of a sore hamstring. He went through a series of drills yesterday to test the injury and will be assessed again today. If Braid cannot play, it will put greater pressure on the Blues' resources because backup Justin Collins is injured and Onosai Tololima-Auva'a is at the Commonwealth Games. Utility loose forward Angus Macdonald would have to start on the openside in the tackle and loose ball contest against George Smith, one of the best opensiders in the world.

Coach David Nucifora's reluctance to discuss any selection scenarios was intended to keep the Brumbies guessing but could also be interpreted as a sign of rising tension in the Blues.

All he would say was that Isa Nacewa and John Senio, who were hurt against the Crusaders, had recovered, Steve Devine was over his illness while Braid, Ben Atiga and Luke McAlister needed more checks.

It seems, however, that time has run out for McAlister in his bid to be considered after cracking his jaw against the Highlanders.

There has been no halt to questions about Nucifora's previous coaching life with the Brumbies and his involvement as technical adviser in the Blues 17-0 victory over the Canberra-based team last year.

"We are quite capable of beating them again, there is no doubt about that. But you can't crystal-ball too much and you can't refer back to what happened last year," Nucifora said.

Another former Blues technical adviser, Graham Henry, took in the Blues training again yesterday as part of his All Blacks brief to assess how all the franchises are travelling. Like Nucifora, he was keen to see some more set-piece precision from the Blues.

Brumbies coach Laurie Fisher has also been keen to up the productivity from his forwards, pointing out his side would suffer if they repeated the lacklustre first half they had against the Sharks.

It was difficult, said Nucifora, to compare the Blues and Brumbies at set piece because his side had played New Zealand teams while the Brumbies had taken on South African opponents. He said the Brumbies would be wary of their first visit here this season.

"I know they are edgy, I know they don't like coming to New Zealand, I know they don't like coming to Eden Park, so we intend to make them very unwelcome."