Leon MacDonald is not going to die wondering as his Blues team heads to Christchurch pretty much playing for their Super Rugby Aotearoa lives.
MacDonald’s men, with three defeats in their last four outings, have wedged themselves firmly between the proverbial rock and a hard place heading into this penultimate round of the all-Kiwi competition. In all likelihood Sunday’s clash against the defending champions, and perennial standard-setters, is do or die for the Auckland outfit.
Depending on what happens in Hamilton on Friday night, the Blues may or may not get another shot when they close the regular season against the Chiefs next Saturday at Eden Park. But the coach has made it clear, with his words and his selections, that it’s knockout footy from here on in for his side.
He has made five key changes to his starting XV to face the Crusaders, and several more on the bench where injuries and a suspension have forced his hand a little. Theirs is also a forced change in captaincy, with Rieko Ioane and Dalton Papalii sharing the role this week, with Tom Robinson ruled out through a head knock.
MacDonald sees both of these selections as being connected.
“We’re looking for some excitement, some fresh bodies,” he said after his Friday training hitout at Alexandra Park. “Some guys have been training really hard all year to have an opportunity. Harry and Tanielu have a good relationship, played together with Auckland right through the age-groups and were part of a successful Auckland 19s team as well.
“It’s a good fit. Harry has trained a lot at 10, he hasn’t had a lot of opportunity there but he’s got a strong running game which hopefully he will be able to bring off on Sunday afternoon.”
There is also an interesting selection in the loose forwards, with fit-again flanker Blake Gibson preferred on the blindside ahead of 2020 All Black Akira Ioane who remains anchored to the bench, despite the unavailability of Robinson.
Robinson missed the cut with lingering symptoms from a head knock in last week’s defeat to the Highlanders and MacDonald has gone for the greater mobility and breakdown work of Gibson ahead of Ioane’s more blockbusting qualities.
“It’s a little bit round what we’re wanting from our pack,” said the Blues coach of Gibson’s return. “We’re going against a pretty hard-working pack and we think Blake will bring an edge. He’s pretty hungry, hasn’t had a lot of minutes this year and has been training really well. His workrate, tackle, his jackal, and his ability to clean rucks is going to be important for us.”
The other two change-up come in the front row, with Kurt Eklund returning from suspension to claim the starting hooker’s berth and Nepo Laulala rotating in at tighthead prop, with Ofa Tuungafasi dropping back to the bench.
MacDonald is especially excited about the potential one-two impact he will have at hooker from the hard-nosed Eklund and his hugely promising young backup Soane Vikena who gets his first crack in the Blues jersey off the bench.
“Kurt is another older head, and we have probably missed him at times … he’s been great for us the last 18 months and it’s exciting to have him back. You can see by the way he’s running around, he’s pretty excited as well,” said the Blues coach.
Vikena, too, fell into the same category as Plummer and Tele’a as players who deserved this chance to show what they had, he added.
“Soane has been working really hard. He was one of our better performers for the Blues 20s team, and he’s ready to go. We trust these guys and I think they’re going to bring a bit of an edge.”
