Highlights: Blues sink Sharks at Eden Park

problem for blues is after the loss of ben lam , they have no big wings. li is relatively small so reiko was the big wing - now nanai has to take that role. ranger was the big center now moala will take that role. but outside those thir cupboard is bare. visinia is injury prone. the englishman with the french name is a samll guy, west is a small guy. ranger is a big defensive loss. his ability to turnover the ball was critical. although he rarely rangered anyone after the neck surgery.

I have just seen in a Herald article that in fact they are available for the Rebels match. So not sure what Tana is on about.

Yes the original plan was that the super rugby players would return to sevens from beginning of May which would see them available for the Rebels match. Umaga said last night that Rieko would be returning after this week. He did not specifically mention Akira however. I don't think Vaega and Little have played at all this season. Sa'u however has been involved in 4 matches.

Is that right Clarke?... I thought both Ioane boys join 7's squad after the Rebels match? Vaega has played I think 3 so far this season and he was originally in the WTG, he is only 21 so another youngster on the way up.

Just when Umaga seemed to have settled on his midfield backs and with West not travelling to well generally and unreliable goal kicking, losing Ranger is not good. Reiko Ioane is back to sevens after next week (bye) earlier than initially planned so he has played his last game for the Blues this season by my reckoning. Options? - Moala has to come in. Umaga has mentioned Vaega and Little as cover. Not sure of Sa’u’s present status fitness wise.

they never had a shot at finals, ur being too kind. new coach many new players , many young players...... wonder if they can get replacements for gibson and Ranger - they shud be as per practice. also for Ben Lam. Reiko Ioane can be easily replaced by Melani nanai, who is imo, a better defender in addition to being a damaging runner. Replacing Ranger is a little more difficult, neither Male Sau nor Moala play like Ranger. i still dont know why they let simon hickey go. as much as i think west plays like king carlos , he plays too much like him , which is annoying....

Well with Ranger out and both Ioane brothers off to join the Sevens shortly...easily three of their top performers Blues don't have much of a show of the finals at all. They might have had a slim shot with them but they remain unconvincing. They're not winning the matches they should win and are almost blowing the ones they do.

Ranger out for season. Just been reported Radio Sport NZ.

Akari I don't think they have a chance of getting a finals berth but, it is still early days and another 10 or so games, to play. If they win half of those, then you'd expect to see a mid-table finish or thereabouts, which is at least, an improvement on recent years. I can't say if they've regressed from the opening game - that could be TU's own fault when he was mixing up his starting XV and varying the team combinations. Whatever it was, you'd expect him to have a settled XV (barring injuries) and progress through the comp, accordingly. Btw, if West has been a disappointment then I have to say that Guyton isn't too hot either. His kicking game was IMO, worse than West's....Hall is too slow for my liking so I'd suggest Tana, has got to work his way out of this quagmire and get a 9-10 combo that can set their outsides, into a firing mode. Atm, everything just looks like its happening in slo-mo for the Blues back-line. Perhaps, that may happen in the 2nd half of the comp......so good luck to TU in that respect.

Akari, I think Blues have not had stability and a decent coach since Peter Sloane, way back in 2002-2005. No coincidence that their last SR title was in that period. Call me naive if you like (TM does!... lol) but I seriously believe that the Blues will be positioned to challenge for the SR title in 2017. For the first time in years outside looking in, "I sense" resolve in the team which has been absent over past few years. A few issues to address though, to challenge for SR 2017 is on field leadership (with respect to Kaino), and 9/10 axis. Recently also noted they now have to find a new 2nd rower with Josh Bekhuis leaving for overseas end of this season, I think they have adequate cover/potential in all other positions. Blues will lose both Ioane brothers after one more round to 7's so it will be a further test of depth of the young squad but I think that's good. At the beginning of the season, I reckoned that 6 wins in his first year would be a pass for Tana, they may yet still achieve that but made it hard for themselves by drawing with the Reds (I had that match down as a win). Given the past few years, ambitious? ... maybe ... we shall see. If they achieve that they will only be a couple of wins from achieving reaching the playoffs ... I'd be happy with that.

You could be right Akari about Akira Ioane but personally I think he is a better fit at No 6. He is strong and confrontational and blindside suits his game. Gibson who is same age (20) is also a big lad (1.86m/102 kgs), and I think a huge talent. Tana Umaga is using Akira as an impact player at the moment to cover 6 and 8 With respect to Tanerau Latimar, while I don't thing he is the player he was with the Chiefs he can cover openside with Pryor til Gibson is fit again, (I'm reserving judgement on Pryor). It has been reported that Gibson is out with his broken hand until June so the bulk of the season will have gone anyhow.

Don't agree re Ranger. He was good enough to be selected for the All Blacks by Hansen. Ranger is not close to his form prior to accepting coin from up north 2013 but there were some strong signs that of improving. He had had a torrid time in rehabilitating from neck surgery which delayed his return to rugby. Only issue I have with Rene Ranger is his ball security when tackled. I thought it was a weakness back in 2013 and it still is a concern (to me). Agree entirely about 1st Five ... but Ihaia West does some good things but messes that up by taking wrong options and executing poorly. It was very noticeable against the Sharks. Tana, in my opinion should give Matt McGahan so extended time or try and engage Otere Black who also is not getting game time with Hurricanes. Other proven first fives are committed to other franchises. Also want to see what Sam Nock can do this yer before Pulu joins next year.

They are nowhere near that bad Under JK the Blues would have lost that game by 20 Under Lam they would have lost by 40

The loss of Ranger is a massive boost He has been abysmal Tana needs to find a 1st five with brains and some midfield backs with passing and tackling skills

Please - there is a massive distance to go The forwards are still far too lazy and fail to protect the ball as much as they should - admittedly it is a great deal better than any time under Lam or Kirwan - but there is a lot of work still to go And the backs are brain dead - it is only individual brilliance that is getting them out of holes - there are far too many hero passes being thrown - and not a single pass is of any quality - always too high and too far behind 1. They need a real 1st five - West is shite - his passing is woeful and and ability to control a game non existent with his kicking out of hand so bad its better if he doesn't 2. Ranger is an idiot - every time he attempts to offload and every time its an abysmal failure - he needs to learn when to try the pass and when to accept the tackle - and his tackling is piss poor 3. Moela - utter rubbish - made to look a complete goose by Sharks backs - seriously - a team that never runs the ball - runs around him as though he is opening the door for them And as for Reiko at 13 - you do understand the game don't you? He is fit to tie Fekitoas laces or polish Ngatais boots...hes not even close to the AB's as a wing yet

It surely must be over by now, OB, as the Blues seems to have regressed since the first game and now back to the old JK inspired form of old.

RT - Akira Ioane should start as Gibson's replacement as he is faster and dangerous with the ball. It's a pity that Pulu is not allowed to transfer to the Blues this year as Hall and Guyton are both struggling as HBs and both are pretty slow too. It seems that the defence knows what Hall is about to do even if he didn't know as they are always in position and ready to defend. Tana, IMO, could do no worse than finding a good HB from club or school rugby and promoting him into the Blues team.

As long as the powder is dry and not wet then, Tana will surely find out if he's got a powder-keg rather than, a powder-puff.....aye mate??? First season though for him as HC......if he achieves a mid-table finish, than I'd call it a handy start but, the honeymoon will be well and truly over, at season's end.

Apelu, sorry but do not agree at this stage. I am aware that Reiko's positions is documented as centre/wing but it is easy to forget that he is just out of short pants and just turned 19. I think he should be permitted to hone his skills in a less demanding position than No 13. The kid is an amazing talent but let him find he feet first. He is still learning, he should take lessons from guys like Richard Kahui on how to take the high ball and master his craft in a roving wing position first. I am not suggesting he will not develop into a first class centre sometime in the future but right now .. i think it's too early. I just hope that Male Sa'u can get his act together as a possible replacement for the injured Rene Ranger rather than expose Reiko Ioane at this stage. As to reference to Bruce "Mercedes" Robertson, Reiko even at his young age, in my opinion already has a skill set at least the equal of if not superior than the former Counties Manukau centre except maybe out and out pace (though cannot be sure of that but that is my impression). He already is a bigger man than Robertson and is probably still growing!

Gee! At times the Blues were trying hard to lose but managed to win the chocolates. With all the trials and tribulations of past games, this must install belief.