Blues Bolters

Who's who at the Blues

There are times when you think you could just put this whole team on the paddock and they would come away with a win vs any team in the world.  Then there are times you just want to turn the tv off.

Let's have a look at who is there abouts when the AB selectors come knocking.

Of course there are the stalwarts.  No one could begrudge a fit Piri Weepu his spot as one of 2 All Black no.9s, and captaincy has matured Ali Williams who has proved a great foil for Sir John Kirwan.  Sadly, just as Keven Mealamu is coming back into it, an old problem injury resurfaces.  Not that I'd call big Charlie Faimuina a stalwart but time has been invested in him....and at the same time the AB selectors don't have a lot of patience for unfit props.  There's a lot of talent about at moment, NZ has some very very big boys...the ball is in his court.

At tighthead the Blues have an unspoken hero.  Hardly seen in the early rounds, Angus Ta'avao has become the Blues' version of a Franks brother; a rock in the scrum and throwing himself around the paddock in defence.  Don't be at all surprised if this 23 year old monster is a bolter.  At 1.94m and 124kg he has shown himself more than capable of holding his own vs some big South African packs at scrum time.

I wouldn't even call this a bolter.  This 21yr old is the form #6 in the country, I would say SuperXV, and even challenge people to find a better playing blindside in the world at present.  Doesn't shun any work in the tight and is proving an absolute menace around the field ball in hand.  Steven Luatua has put his hand up for the ABs' problem position of recent years.

Problem 6 position filled

An outside chance to back up Kieran Read at #8, Peter Saili is proving more than consistent this Super season and is a real handful for opposition defences.  Just what you need from a #8....he goes forward.

You could have almost pencilled in Francis Saili until that horror missed tackle on de Villiers that really should have cost the Blues that match.  Four minutes to play and a one on one he got done like a dog's dinner that allowed the Stormers' captain to break 40metres and close the gap to 18-17.  Something that would not have slipped the selectors' eyes.  Still in with a chance but did himself no favours.

Don't let Rene Ranger go!  Handed responsibility to guide a group of talented but raw outside backs has brought another level to Ranger's play.  Gone are the lapses in ball security and gone are the defensive flaws.  The important men in the selectors' box seriously can't ignore the impact this guy is having on games.  A wall (literally) in defence and a real bag of tricks mixed into a bulldozer on attack.  Here is the ABs new super sub....anywhere in midfield or wing.  Our next All Black hero in waiting.

Selectors willing,...our new AB hero

Frank Halai would raise some eyebrows but has done nothing really to suggest he would be out of place.  Would break into any other international team, but he's a little way off the All Blacks at the moment.  If he continues on the upward trend then maybe next year?  A great player to watch, still got some chinks to iron out and an instinct that isn't quite 100% right now, but with a few rounds in Super rugby to go and the incumbents either injured, out of form, or having life problems now could be the time?

Quite probably the best attacking fullback in the game right now.  Israel Dagg is well off his game and one feels that the All Black selectors will, rightly, still see this as primarily an attacking position.  Charles Piutau is your man.  Still not the full package, sometimes option taking errors and a blinker mentality (which never hampered Dagg too much), and not the greatest under the high ball but kick to him at your own peril.