Rugby: Lam not for the slaughter - Dalton puts support behind Blues coach

Andy Dalton. Photo / NZPA

Andy Dalton yesterday backed Blues coach Pat Lam, despite the side slipping to a 50 per cent winning record as a berth in the Super 15 playoffs moves further away towards the horizon.

While the franchise's chief executive did his public relations best to balance a blotchy results sheet and fend off notions of a coaching change, the players will have to stew overtime before they get their next chance of redress.

"In reality, notwithstanding the position we are in, this is round five of the competition in March and this goes through until August," he said. "There is a lot of rugby to go. It is early days."

He said there had been no discussion at the Blues about a change of coach nor had Lam offered to stand down.

The Blues have a bye this week which under the mad-headed Sanzar scheme accrues the same value as a victory.

So they will not resume combat until next Thursday in Melbourne against the Rebels. That match begins 11 pool games for the Blues including another bye to try and accrue enough points to qualify for the playoffs starting in July. A solitary win from five games this season has the Blues lolling in the cellar of the New Zealand conference and running at 23 wins, 23 defeats and one draw in Lam's four-season tenure.

"It is very frustrating," Dalton said.

His last public outburst about the need for improvement came when the Blues sagged to defeat against the Chiefs.

They then headed for South Africa, where they accrued their solitary win against the Bulls before a disappointing production against the Stormers and the latest mishap with the Hurricanes.

"It is what it is and we need to deal with it. We are all hurting and it is heartbreaking to be sitting here at this stage of the season at the bottom of the table given the promise that we had early in the season. We know we have to do better," Dalton said.

Qualifying for the playoffs was in the distance and Dalton suggested the Blues would be served best by concentrating on their next game. There was a great deal of rugby left in the series until it ended in August.

"Notwithstanding that, we are accepting that we are well below the pace of what we should be," he said.

The Blues had been dealt some tough injury and suspension cards but they should be doing better than they had, he said.

Dalton would not measure whether the Blues had got enough value from star imports Piri Weepu and Ma'a Nonu as he pointed out Nonu had been a late starter, while both had been key members of the team environment. They were also working hard on bumping up their personal production.

The Blues had given their New Zealand conference colleagues a huge start in the race to the finals and the franchise needed to support Lam and the team as much as they could.

The board heard from Lam and team manager Bryce Anderson last week and they had strong interactive systems to deal with an array of team topics.

"There is a recognition we are not where we should be and it was a good opportunity for the board to question Pat on the detail of the team."

Results had been disappointing but details about style, methods and cohesion were best left to Lam, Dalton said. The Blues had a squad with a great deal of ability, he said, but they faced a great deal of hard work, which would test all their resources.