Rugby: JK remains defiant over future

Sir John Kirwan. Photo / Greg Bowker.

Coach John Kirwan remains defiant about his future at the Blues despite a defeat to the Lions last night which must be considered one of the worst results in the history of the franchise.

After watching his team blow a 10-3 lead to the bottom-placed team in the competition for their fourth defeat in four games in 2015, on a night in which Keven Mealamu and skipper Jerome Kaino were honoured for their individual milestones only for the whole occasion to fall horribly flat, Kirwan said: "I like moments like this. Men need to stand up, so bring it on."

Kirwan's predecessor Pat Lam was sacked after a horror start to the 2012 season, but when asked whether he was confident he would serve out the rest of his contract until the end of the year, Kirwan said: "I'm going to be here for a long time. I'm really confident I'm the right man for the job. I believe in what I'm doing, I believe in the squad and the structures we're putting together. We're in a slump at the moment but we'll turn it around."

This 13-10 loss could hardly have come at a worst time for Kirwan, coming as it did at the end of a week in which Kieran Keane denied being approached as a replacement, but added that he would be delighted to be offered the job.

However, Kirwan denied the pressure was building.

"It's probably a lot easier for us," he said. "We'll bury the game tomorrow and on Monday we'll start preparing for the Hurricanes. You can't let external pressures get in the way. I've been doing this a long time."

The misfiring attack, with Ihaia West at the helm, shows no sign of improvement, but when Kirwan asked what was missing, he replied: "There's nothing missing, we just need to get a victory. We're very close, we're doing all the right things, we're just not getting the rub of the green at the moment. We just need to keep working hard, stay tight, and we need to turn the slump around."

Time may be running out, however. Certainly, many of the supporters who applauded the entrance of Mealamu and Kaino through a guard of honour including past greats Michael Jones and Joeli Vidiri, soon voiced their frustration as time and again the Blues threw away opportunities to score. They had the Lions on the rack at the end of the first half and the start of the second, only to succumb to impatience or a mistake.

Too often the Blues had an advantage in numbers with men such as Charles Piutau, Lolagi Visinia and the returning Frank Halai poised to capitalise, only for miss-passes to be sent out - a sure-fire way to cut down on your own space and time.

It was sad night for the Blues for so many reasons. With three away matches to come against the Hurricanes, Waratahs and Chiefs, it would surprise if they are anything other than none from seven in a few weeks.