Stephen Perofeta tackled during the Blues' victory over the Force. Photo / Photosport
Stephen Perofeta tackled during the Blues' victory over the Force. Photo / Photosport
Plenty to improve, much to prove, encapsulates the Blues uninspiring start to the season.
A short turnaround and the influx of returning All Blacks for this week’s headline derby against the Chiefs leaves the Blues needing to swiftly move on from their underwhelming victory over the Western Force.
While thereview won’t be pretty, stewing on the failure to secure a treasured bonus point from Sunday’s decidedly sloppy 30-17 win at Eden Park ultimately holds minimal relevance for the Chiefs.
It does, however, continue the theme of a largely unconvincing start to the season for the 3-2 Blues, one in which their set piece and the breakdown have proved problematic, to shift the onus onto the forward pack to front in Hamilton on Saturday.
Blues coach Leon MacDonald clearly had one eye on the Chiefs, Super Rugby Pacific’s only unbeaten side, when naming his vastly reshaped team for the Force.
With All Blacks Beauden Barrett, Finlay Christie, Caleb Clarke, Rieko Ioane, Nepo Laulala and Dalton Papalii set to return this week - and Patrick Tuipulotu an outside chance to recover from his knee injury - the Blues should be a different beast for the Chiefs.
They will need to be, too. To this point, given the calibre and depth of their squad, they have flattered to deceive.
Illness undermined preparations for the Force - loosehead prop Josh Fusitua was almost caught short at halftime to highlight the gastro bug that ripped through the Blues squad last week.
Yet MacDonald’s prolonged sigh before speaking at the post-match press conference said everything about a performance he labelled “liquorice all sorts” after the Blues dished up 16 turnovers, lost three scrums, two lineouts and struggled to finish multiple attacking chances.
“The performance reflected the muddled week. We weren’t able to get a good training in and it showed in the way we played,” MacDonald said.
“We looked a bit fatigued at the end. Whether the gastro kicked in, I’m not sure. We had a lot of gastro this week. Some guys were looking pretty pale and fatigued. We definitely didn’t have a lot of energy. We stumbled over the finish line. A few guys said they found it hard in terms of a stunted training week.
“We had little patches where we got some momentum, built some continuity and looked good then we’d miss a breakdown or lose the ball in contact to take the pressure valve off. We were mixed around some of the core stuff you have to get right, the scrums and lineouts, so plenty to work on.”
MacDonald was pleased to welcome back lock Sam Darry, halfback Sam Nock and midfielder Harry Plummer, who deputised as captain in his first match since round two last year, but the Blues could be without the versatile Bryce Heem after he limped off in the second half.
All Blacks wing Mark Telea and Stephen Perofeta, the latter producing several classy touches replacing Barrett at first five-eighth, offered rare bright spots against the Force. Barrett’s return is, however, likely to immediately push Perofeta to fullback for the Chiefs.
“He looked really good when we were able to get some go-forward. When he takes the line on he looks really dangerous,” MacDonald said of Perofeta. “He was kicking the ball well out of hand. He’ll be happy with his performance. He shows he’s a fantastic attacking option for us at 10.”
The Chiefs, emerging from a hard-fought 24-14 win in Sydney, improved their record to five from five to sit four points clear at the top of the table.
Despite his side failing to strike form this season after losses to the Brumbies and Crusaders, MacDonald is embracing a return to Hamilton, where the Blues notched a 25-0 shutout victory last year.
“We love that challenge. It’s definitely one of the games the guys get up for. Hamilton is a place we like to go and win at. It’s one of the better feelings in rugby. We’ll turn this around quickly. We’ll have 13 players turning up Monday pretty fresh after the break and excited about the week ahead. There’s a lot of guys that will be better for the hit out as well.
“We know we can play a game that can beat them if we’re on. There’s areas we have to be better at. We know that. But we definitely back ourselves to go there and get a job done.”
