Blues Named For Must-Win Against Waratahs
In their final game of the regular season, the Blues need to secure a win in front of their home fans to keep their finals hopes alive.
After serving a three-game suspension for a dangerous tackle, Mark Tele'a injects his energy back into the side with a start on the right wing.
With the return of Tele'a, AJ Lam shifts back to second five while Finlay Christie earns the starting halfback spot.
In the forwards, Anton Segner has been cleared after a heavy collision in Round 14, with the 23-year-old back into the starting XV at blindside flanker.
There are several changes to the reserves with prop Jordan Lay and halfback Sam Nock coming into the match day 23, alongside Adrian Choat who returns from a shoulder injury.
Saturday's game will also be a celebration of club rugby, with players wearing their club socks. Fans will be allowed onto the turf after the match to get autographs and photos with players.
Alongside the action, Eden Park will come alive prior to kickoff with the first-ever Waiata Singalong, a series of activations led by Dame Hinewehi Mohi DNZM, designed to bring people together through the power of waiata.
Blues Team for Round 16
4.35pm, Saturday 31 May vs NSW Waratahs
1. Joshua Fusitu'a (34)
2. Ricky Riccitelli (48)
3. Marcel Renata (63)
4. Patrick Tuipulotu (capt) (121)
5. Laghlan McWhannell (20)
6. Anton Segner (34)
7. Dalton Papali'i (94)
8. Hoskins Sotutu (75)
9. Finlay Christie (65)
10. Beauden Barrett (41)
11. Caleb Clarke (72)
12. AJ Lam (55)
13. Rieko Ioane (125)
14. Mark Tele'a (77)
15. Corey Evans (26)
Reserves: 16. Kurt Eklund (72), 17. Jordan Lay (24), 18. Angus Ta'avao (79), 19. Josh Beehre (24), 20. Adrian Choat (52), 21. Sam Nock (79), 22. Harry Plummer (86), 23. Cole Forbes (27)
Players not considered due to injury: Cam Christie (thumb), Stephen Perofeta (leg), Reon Paul (shoulder), Cam Suafoa (medical, season), Ofa Tu'ungafasi (neck, season), Sam Darry (shoulder, season)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NZ Herald
13 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Super Rugby Pacific: Blues CEO Andrew Hore to stand down
Blues chief executive Andrew Hore will step down in September to take up an opportunity in the commercial business sector. Hore has been Blues CEO since 2019, guiding them through the Covid-19 pandemic before steering them to glory, capturing the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific championship, ending a 21-year title drought.
NZ Herald
2 days ago
- NZ Herald
All Blacks v France: World media reacts to Hamilton win as New Zealand sweep test series
For nearly an hour, they tackled, harassed, and challenged the All Blacks on their own soil. We saw a resilient, united, and often dominant French team. We dreamed of a feat. But as in the first two tests, the bar was ultimately too high. As the minutes ticked by, lucidity frayed, the mistakes became costly, and New Zealand finally imposed its law. Three matches, three defeats, but still, a promise: that of a French youth that did not flee the fight. And who, tomorrow, could well win it. All Blacks 'unimpressive' Tony Harper, The Roar First-ever Test tries to Du'Plessis Kirifi and Brodie McAlister, and two huge moments of class from All Blacks legends Jordie Barrett and Ardie Savea, guided the hosts to an unimpressive 29-19 win over a determined French team in Hamilton. France led until just before the hour mark and held up the All Blacks over their tryline four times before the hosts' strength in depth off the bench proved crucial and they completed a 3-0 series sweep. 'Big time players needed to stand up. The experience of some of these key players – attitude, and the mental hardness,' said All Blacks great Mils Muliaina. 'It wasn't pretty at times. The French, they were resistant, they were hard, they were hearty.' Jordie Barrett proved the difference down the stretch at both ends of the field. He was supposed to be missing this game but was a late call-up after an injury to Rieko Ioane. The All Blacks will open the Rugby Championship with two games against Argentina. The jury is out on how they'll front up in those after struggling in the first and third Tests against a weak French team, which certainly exceeded expectations, but coach Scott Robertson is hoping their struggles will only make them better. France 'defending and defending' Frederic Bernes, L'Equipe Leading at half-time, France lost for the third time in a row to New Zealand (29-19) on Saturday in Hamilton, in the final match of their summer tour. After July 14, 1979 in Auckland, June 26, 1994 in Christchurch, July 3, 1994 in Auckland and June 13, 2009 in Dunedin, there will be no fifth glorious season this summer. Beaten 31-27 in Dunedin then 43-17 in Wellington , the Blues fell 29-19 in Hamilton, Saturday, not without remaining in the lead until the hour mark. The French fifteen began by defending and defending long New Zealand sequences. This was done without making any mistakes. The Blues then recovered the All Blacks' first touch, which was too long, and a first penalty for a foul on a carried ball. They chose not to attempt it in favor of a penalty touch. The ambitious option paid off as the maul advanced, crabby but it did advance, until Nolann Le Garrec got in close to touch down (0-7, 9th). The Blues once again had to repel a prolonged attack around their forty-meter line. Despite a direct touch from Antoine Hastoy and a hesitation from Léo Barré on a low pass, the New Zealanders' play was contained and the counterattack allowed them to invest the opposing camp. All Blacks 'under the spotlight' Adam Kyriacou, PlanetRugby New Zealand had to come from behind to defeat a dogged France 29-19 at FMG Stadium Waikato on Saturday in a result that wraps up a 3-0 series victory over Les Bleus. Tries from Will Jordan, Anton Lienert-Brown, Du'Plessis Kirifi and Brodie McAlister, coupled by nine points from Damian McKenzie's boot, saw the All Blacks prevail. France were excellent for large parts in Hamilton with scrum-half Nolann Le Garrec scoring 16 points that included a crossing while Antoine Hastoy struck a drop-goal. The All Blacks were looking to pick up a clean sweep in this series, which has been under the spotlight ever since rumours of France's squad intentions were made clear. Scott Robertson's outfit had to deal with some late disruption to their line-up after Luke Jacobson pulled out injured in the warm-up, which meant Ardie Savea shifted to number eight and Kirifi was handed his first start on the openside. Risk v reward Liam Napier, NZ Herald The pendulum between risk and reward frequently swung towards the former to leave a constant state of unease before the All Blacks hung on for an unconvincing victory that secured a series sweep of the understrength French in Hamilton. Exercises in attempting to build depth are often fraught affairs. That again proved true as All Blacks coach Scott Robertson grasped the chance to rotate his squad by making 10 starting changes after locking away the Dave Gallaher trophy last week. Samipeni Finau was a standout figure in his first start of the series from blindside flanker with strong carries and a physical presence the All Blacks demand from their enforcer. After two starts from Tupou Vaa'i at No 6, Finau sent a reminder of his claims in an impressive 65-minute shift. In other areas such as hooker and halfback, though, the drop off from incumbents Codie Taylor and Cam Roigard was significant. Given the widespread adjustments it should perhaps be no surprise the All Blacks lacked cohesion which resulted in few fluid moments for the 24,162 crowd to savour. All Blacks grind down France Ian Ransom, Reuters Replacement hooker Brodie McAlister scored a late try in a memorable test debut for New Zealand to seal a 29-19 win over France in Hamilton and complete a 3-0 series sweep on Saturday. Jordie Barrett set up the winner with a linebreak in front of the posts, before passing back inside to McAlister who slid over the line in front of delighted home fans at Waikato Stadium. With his brothers Scott and Beauden out with injuries, Barrett represented the family with distinction in a sparkling game off the bench. He made a try-saving tackle near the hour mark to hold off the valiant French, who battled in vain to break a win drought in New Zealand dating back to Dunedin in 2009. Though France arrived in the country without a slew of their top players, they were a handful for Scott Robertson's All Blacks, barring the 43-17 drubbing in the second test in Wellington. Robertson fielded a much-changed lineup in Hamilton and was forced into a late shuffle when number eight Luke Jacobson broke down with an apparent hamstring strain in the warmup. He made way for Du'Plessis Kirifi who celebrated his first All Blacks start with a try near the hour mark that nosed his team in front after trailing 19-17 at halftime.
Otago Daily Times
13-07-2025
- Otago Daily Times
‘Hell of a final': Excelsior champions again
The end of Saturday's Citizens Shield final was dark, gloomy and muddy but that was where Excelsior shone brightest. They held out one last assault from Valley to claim their second title in a row with a 31-28 win. "It's hard to put words together at the moment," Blues captain Mat Duff said after the game. "Just really, really immensely proud of our boys." The final had seven lead changes as each side landed punches and counter-punches. It was also the third straight final between Blues and Valley. "It's a hell of a trilogy battle, I reckon, and hell of a final," Duff said. Excelsior opened the scoring with a try in the opening 10 minutes before Valley took momentum back. They relied on the boot of Isaac Clunie to nail two penalty kicks either side of a Jake Greenslade try off a driving maul to jump ahead 13-7. Blue struck back with a patient attack inside the Valley 22m. They retained the ball and carried hard before lock Matt Laba spied some space around the tuck and darted through a gap to score. Clunie added another three points for Valley before Blues were in again. They won a penalty off the kick-off, switched to attack mode, and after a few strong carries swung the ball out to the left wing, where Seva Druma had room to dance around the defence. He broke through the final tackle to score and put his side back in front. However, Valley won the ball back from the ensuing kick-off. Excelsior's discipline let them down as they conceded three quick penalties, which culminated in a yellow card to Apenisia Tuiba for repeated infringement. It did not stop there as referee Nick Webster awarded a penalty try off a driving maul. The free seven points had Valley ahead 23-19 at halftime. Valley were able to hold out back-to-back sieges on their line in the opening 10 minutes of the second half but could not hold out a third. A poor clearance put Blues right back on attack. As they chipped away, an errant pass looked to have spoiled their attack. However, Liam Direen scooped it and calmly stepped past two defenders on his way to score. That was a turning point in the game as not only did Blues survive being down to 14 men, but they managed to take back the lead. Then it was Valley's turn to be patient as they spent phase after phase right on the line, and discipline was again an issue for Blues, who conceded three penalties. Eventually, Valley were able to get back to their strike weapon, the driving maul. It looked for a moment that Blues had held strong but Greenslade peeled off the back and scored his second try. With time running out, Blues needed a spark. They got back into Valley's 22m and Druma was able to break the line and score the eventual match winner. The winger was outstanding when presented with opportunities to attack and Duff was inspirational in the forwards. The Blues captain never took a backwards step, both figuratively and literally. However, the best player on the paddock was Matia Qiolevu. The midfielder was outstanding as he kept the Valley defence on their heels with every touch of the ball and made every tackle asked of him. For Valley, Greenslade, Anthony Docherty and Ben Paton all delivered impressive performances. Kurow beat Old Boys 13-5 in the president's grade final. Citizens Shield final The scores Excelsior 31 Seva Druma 2, Oli Knopp, Matt Laba, Liam Direen tries; Tyron Davies 3 con Valley 28 Jake Greenslade 2 tries, penalty try; Isaac Clunie con, 3 pen Halftime: Valley 23-19.
