Tough balancing act for Sloane

The scene has been repeated throughout this week as Blues coach Peter Sloane delivered equal measures of approval and challenges to his young forwards.

It was a balancing act for the Super 12 coach as he worked on getting his pack to the right pitch for their first home game at Eden Park.

There were congratulations as they assessed video footage of their work against the Highlanders, tempered by demands they reproduce those standards tonight against the Reds.

It was easy for Sloane to signal the consequences of a drop in the forwards' performance, the queue for first team selection was growing.

Seasoned forwards Tony Woodcock, Bradley Mika and Tom Harding are playing in tonight's curtainraiser while the talented Jerome Kaino is almost fit after his hamstring strain.

The Reds may have lost round one and not won at Eden Park in the Super 12 but they have forwards such as Nathan Sharpe, David Croft, Daniel Heenan, John Roe and Nick Stiles who have all worn the Wallaby jersey.

Young lock Hugh McMeniman has reminded locals of a fledgling John Eales while hooker Stephen Moore looks a Wallaby in waiting.

Sloane's instructions were unequivocal for every forward but there may have been even more emphasis on the Blues frontrow.

If the Reds have some forward frailty as they displayed against the Hurricanes, it is in their frontrow.

Referees have been told to give sides more leeway in their scrummaging and that should give Saimone Taumoepeau, Keven Mealamu and John Afoa more scope to make an impact tonight.

Both sides have retained the same packs from the opening round while the Blues have had the luxury of dropping Sam Tuitupou to reintroduce Ben Atiga in midfield.

Reds coach Jeff Miller has dropped playmaker Julian Huxley after concerns about his defence and his goalkicking nightmare against the Hurricanes.

Captain Elton Flatley has moved in a place, Steve Kefu has been reinstated while Drew Mitchell fills in for Chris Latham, who is on tsunami charity duty.

While those shuffles have been going on, the Reds have been further distracted by conjecture about their players being targeted for the Perth franchise in next year's expanded series.

Their anxiety may rise even more when they find new Perth coach John Mitchell at Eden Park tonight to survey prospects such as Sharpe, Ben Tune and Wendell Sailor.

The recruiting rumours have infested the franchise, according to Huxley.

Players coming off contract at the end of this season were doing their best to keep a lid on any offers, but there was the inevitable chatter.

It was a distraction Miller did not need in what is an unusual Super 12 programme for his side.

Tonight is the start of a three-match tour of New Zealand, wedged in between bookend matches against the Hurricanes and Highlanders

A week ago the Blues began the final Super 12 season with a steady 30-14 win against the Highlanders. There was nothing flashy about the victory, they achieved success without having to rely on their stars such as Carlos Spencer, Joe Rokocoko and Mils Muliaina.

That potential firepower will concern the Reds as much as Sloane hopes his pack will.

* Eden Park, Auckland, today 7.35pm


* Get your FREE Blues team photo liftout in today's print edition of the New Zealand Herald, on sale throughout the Auckland region.



Blues

Mils Muliaina
Isa Nacewa
Ben Atiga
Luke McAlister
Joe Rokocoko
Carlos Spencer
David Gibson
Xavier Rush (c)
Daniel Braid
Angus Macdonald
Ali Williams
Greg Rawlinson
John Afoa
Keven Mealamu
S. Taumoepeau

Reds

Drew Mitchell
Wendell Sailor
Junior Pelesasa
Steve Kefu
Peter Hynes
Elton Flatley (c)
Josh Valentine
John Roe
David Croft
Daniel Heenan
Nathan Sharpe
H McMeniman
A Mathison
Stephen Moore
Nick Stiles

Reserves:

Blues: Derren Witcombe, Taufa'ao Filise, Justin Collins, Nick Williams, Steve Devine, Sam Tuitupou, Rudi Wulf.

Reds: Sean Hardman, Greg Holmes, Rudi Vedelago, Tom McVerry, Nic Berry, Julian Huxley, Ben Tune.