Sign In / Register
The Blues players will make sure they leave nothing out on the field when they take on the Hurricanes at the Mahurangi Rugby Football Club next month.
While no points will be up for grabs, Blues newly appointed captain Augustine Pulu recognises the value of their last pre-season match.
“Pre-season games are vital for any team and you can’t enter a competition like Super Rugby and expect to do well without playing them,” Pulu says.
“It will give our coach the chance to experiment with tactics and the team an opportunity to develop the combinations we’ve been working on in training.”
As the last fixture before the regular season, he says we can expect to see two top sides on the pitch.
“We will be bringing a bigger squad than normal, but all of our All Blacks will be back in the mix for this one.
“The Hurricanes will also be at full strength so I’m expecting a fierce battle.”
Pulu is excited about the idea of playing at a small rural club after being a part of club rugby over the years.
“I play for Counties Manakau, which involves travelling to the smaller venues. I really enjoy the club scene as it’s the heartbeat of New Zealand rugby.”
He has a strong vision for the Blues this year after taking on his new role with the team and hopes this game will be a step towards that.
“It’s a huge honour for me to be selected as captain this year, but we have many leaders in this squad who will step up and take responsibility.”
Last year, the Blues finished outside of play-off territory in ninth position, but would like to take out the title this year for the first time since 2003.
“We want to go all the way this season, so a big aim of ours is to make the right decisions at critical moments to ensure that we can win those closely fought matches.”
North Harbour captain and Blues hooker James Parsons is excited about the chance to play in his local region.
“I’ve played at Mahurangi before with Takapuna. It’s always a good trip up there on the bus, with a stop at the Puhoi Pub on the way back through,” Parsons says.
“The grounds are pristine as well. With the top players making their return, it’s sure to be a massive fixture.”
