Rugby: Absences bite as Blues rally for Bulls clash

Gareth Anscombe. Photo / NZPA

The Blues' disastrous start to their Super 15 campaign has received further jolts with Isaia Toeava and Michael Hobbs bypassing their next match with the Bulls and flying home.

Toeava is suffering lower back and buttock pain while Hobbs is returning to be at his father Jock's bedside after the former NZRU chairman was readmitted to hospital when he suffered further problems with his leukaemia treatment.

"Michael got a call yesterday, Jock is in hospital in a serious condition, and he's flying home," Blues coach Pat Lam revealed.

Toeava had tried to train with the Blues when they arrived in Pretoria but had been in a great deal of discomfort. The medical staff decided it was best he return home to seek some specialist attention and treatment.

The twin departures have staggered the Blues and even with replacement Hadleigh Parkes' arrival, they have only nine fit backs in South Africa.

But Lam has been able to pick test imports Piri Weepu and Ma'a Nonu for their first franchise start, playing either side of young five eighths Gareth Anscombe who will make his run-on beginning in one of the world's most daunting rugby atmospheres.

The 20-year-old Anscombe was subbed on for the last quarter against the Chiefs and has earned a start against the Bulls and a comparison with the vastly experienced Morne Steyn, who is nearing a century of Super rugby appearances for the Bulls.

"Gareth is extremely coachable, he has a lot of talent and has areas of his game he needs to work on," Lam said.

"He has made great improvements and has obvious talent."

Much of his next phase was learning how to control a game, sharpening his catch-pass skills, playing a bit closer to the line and looking at how the opposition panned out.

Nonu was very keen to get involved but this game was about a total team response rather than individual answers.

After last week's feeble loss to the Chiefs Lam threatened to dismantle his side. He has made eight changes and several positional switches as he dealt with injuries, the SOS and form fluctuations. That blame has settled on the less experienced players, with Lam reluctant to cut the senior men for Sunday's clutch match in Pretoria.

Fit-again utility Lachie Munro has moved into fullback and tighthead prop Charlie Faumuina returns from a knee injury which ruled him out last week.

Lam said his selections were dictated by player availability and ideas about how best to combat the Bulls and the altitude on the Highveld.

"It is about having the best team to start and finish," he said.

He had little wiggle room with the backs and it was only round three, and the Blues needed to wring more from their experienced forwards.

Training had been restricted because the squad needed to recover after the long-haul flight and adapt to the thinner air. That had given them more time to concentrate on fine-tuning the game plan against a Bulls side who are wary of the challenge.

"It would be foolish to judge the Blues on two defeats," Bulls captain Pierre Spies said. "With the quality players they have in their team, I am sure they will pitch to rectify those first two games."

BULLS

Pretoria, 6.10am Sunday

Zane Kirchner
Akona Ndungane
Wynand Olivier
Francois Venter
Bjorn Basson
Morne Steyn
Jano Vermaak
Pierre Spies (c)
Jacques Potgieter
Deon Stegmann
Juandre Kruger
Flip van der Merwe
Werner Kruger
Chiliboy Ralepelle
Dean Greyling

Bulls: Willie Wepener, Frik Kirsten, Wilhelm Steenkamp, CJ Stander, Ruan Snyman, Louis Fouche, JJ Engelbrecht.

BLUES

Lachie Munro
Sherwin Stowers
Benson Stanley
Ma'a Nonu
Rene Ranger
Gareth Anscombe
Piri Weepu
Chris Lowrey
Daniel Braid
Luke Braid
Ali Williams
Anthony Boric
Charlie Faumuina
Keven Mealamu
Pauliasi Manu

Blues: Tom McCartney, Tevita Mailau, Filo Paulo, Brad Mika, Alby Mathewson, Hadleigh Parkes, David Raikuna.