Rugby: Auckland struggle to break free of the blues

By Wynne Gray

The Auckland Blues' decline continued with their 37-23 Super 12 rugby defeat by the Stormers as prop Tony Coughlan broke his arm, the backline malfunctioned again and the coaching staff began to wonder about their future.

Defeat in Cape Town followed the loss to the Sharks, and now the Blues face the gruesome thought that another stumble this weekend will mean they are the only team to fall to the Bulls this year.

That concept was addressed yesterday at a special meeting when the Blues vowed they had not travelled all the way to South Africa to leave without at least one win.

"Making the top four may be out of our hands," said manager Derek Sampson, "but we can do something about playing the Bulls and we all resolved to make it happen."

Loosehead prop Coughlan broke his right arm in several places and had surgery yesterday. The Blues fortunately had taken Joe Veitayaki as cover for the previous injuries to props Craig Dowd and Paul Thomson. Midfielder Craig Innes' trouble with a ligament on top of his foot continued, while Joeli Vidiri has a leg strain.

Morale was still high, though Sampson accepted the Blues' form this season probably made the coaching staff and New Zealand Rugby Football Union officials think more about their re-election.

"It is not in the forefront of our minds. We go about our business and if New Zealand rugby people can't see the good stuff in the team and want a change then maybe we are in the wrong job."

Whatever the reasons, there has to be concern about the Blues - a team with 12 players from the original All Black summer training squad, including seven backs. Once more those backs failed to click, their scattergun approach in dire contrast to the measured and skilful Stormers' work.

When you find 10 of the Blues' early points came with the Stormers a man down after prop Rob Kempson was sinbinned, their lack of incisiveness is more disturbing.

Two tries when statistics show the Blues had 66 per cent possession and a 63-38 ruck and maul advantage suggest once more that all is not as it should be with this team's strategies.

Either that or too many players are over-rated or the selections are flawed.

Explaining one intriguing choice, Rowlands thought he would get a flat out 50 rather than a full-on 80 minutes from in-form hooker Slade McFarland, and it seemed best to have that at the end rather than start of a game.

The match plan had been to take on the Stormers' pack and drive through the middle of the park. The plan was defended well by the Stormers, who then showed more pace in midfield and better blindside running.

"They are a very tight side and may have even been better without Bobby Skinstad," Rowlands thought. "They did not play such a flashy game but were very controlled."

Some players excepted, this 1999-model Blues do not appear to have the zest, passion, compulsion or savvy to merit comparison with their illustrious predecessors.