Blues coach raises eyebrows with front row selection
TEAM ANNOUNCEMENT: Three debutants and nine All Blacks are included in the Blues line-up to travel to Wellington for Saturday’s first round of Super Rugby Aotearoa against the Hurricanes.
Both starting props will make their debuts in All Black Nepo Laulala and Auckland’s James Lay, as well as Auckland loose forward Adrian Choat who is in the reserves.
There are seven All Blacks in the starting line-up with the powerful pairing of Karl Tu’inukuafe and Ofa Tuungafasi to come off the bench.
Captain Patrick Tuipulotu will make his 81st appearance for the team, to move to 13th on the all-time list for the Blues and is now the second most capped current Blues player.
Lay, who spent two years playing for Pat Lam’s outstanding Bristol Bears side in United Kingdom, has gelled well in pre-season training.
“James knows what professional rugby is about and has impressed us with Auckland this season. He is a top guy and we know he can do a good job for us,” said head coach Leon MacDonald.
“Likewise Nepo came in after the All Black break and has fitted seamlessly into our environment and into our systems.
“Adrian had an excellent Mitre-10 Cup competition and came in as a replacement and was really energetic in our pre-season. He is a smart and versatile loose forward.”
The Blues follow their away game in Wellington with a bye next week before preparing their first home game against the Highlanders on Sunday 14 March.
Blues: 15 Stephen Perofeta, 14 Mark Telea, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Harry Plummer, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Otere Black, 9 Sam Nock; 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 7 Dalton Papalii, 6 Akira Ioane, 5 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu (captain), 3 Nepo Laulala, 2 Kurt Eklund, 1 James Lay.
Replacements: 16 Luteru Tolai, 17 Karl Tu’inukuafe, 18 Ofa Tuungafasi, 19 Josh Goodhue, 20 Tom Robinson, 21 Adrian Choat, 22 Jonathan Ruru, 23 Tanielu Tele’a.
Date: Saturday, February 27
Kick-off: 19.05 (06.05 GMT)
Venue: Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Paul Williams
Assistant referees: Mike Fraser, James Doleman
TMO: Brendon Pickerill
