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Mixed news on injuries for Blues

Marc Hinton

The architect of the Blues’ Super Rugby Trans-Tasman transformation is fit to play tomorrow’s final at Eden Park, though the news wasn’t so good around the bloke who has been the heart and soul of their engine room.

It was a good news-bad news team naming for the Blues ahead of their tilt at a first Super Rugby title since 2003’s triumph over the Crusaders when they take on the Highlanders in front of a crowd that will be in excess of 25,000.

Influential first five-eighth Otere Black, who has been pulling the strings behind a smarter and efficient Blues approach over the back part of their commitments in 2021, has shaken off a leg knock and been named to start at No 10 after taking a full part in training yesterday.

Not so fortunate was blindside flanker Tom Robinson who led the team through the early part of the campaign and has provided a consistent physical commitment that has been infectious among his fellow forwards. All Black Akira Ioane replaces him in the only change to the starting XV from last Saturday’s win over the Force.

Robinson took a head knock early in that match and has been ruled out around protocols associated with that.

It was similarly so for powerhouse All Blacks prop Ofa Tuungafasi, who not only has failed to make the start-line for the final because of knee and finger issues, but has been scheduled for minor knee surgery ahead of the Rugby Championship.

Head coach Leon MacDonald, who played in that 2003 Crusaders side that went down to the Blues at Eden Park, was rapt to have the inform Black in his customary spot running the cutter for such a pivotal contest.

It also put to bed the attempted mind games the Blues played on Tuesday around Beauden Barrett’s appearance at training. He was never going to be considered after playing the season in Japan and fresh out of two weeks in MIQ.

‘‘Otes got through fully today,’’ MacDonald said yesterday. ‘‘He took quite a heavy bang to his leg on Tuesday, but has recovered really well. The medical staff have done a great job, and he took a full part in training today without any signs of anything. I’m really stoked for him.’’

On the other side of the coin, MacDonald said it was heartbreaking for Robinson to miss the signature match of the year after playing such a pivotal role in getting the Blues this far.

‘‘He’s set an attitude. His energy is contagious the way he hits rucks and gets around the park and goes for 80 minutes. We’ll be asking all our players to play like Tom.’’

Experienced openside flanker Blake Gibson comes on to the bench to replace Ioane and will provide a more mobile impact late in the match when he enters the fray.

MacDonald said the message was a pretty clear one for his side ahead of a match that could prove a significant turning point.

‘‘You can tell there’s a final . . . the excitement levels are there,’’ he said. ‘‘I don’t think you have to worry about trying to motivate the guys to play well. It’s making sure we stay really clear on what we want to achieve and be really accurate.’’

And don’t play the final before the final.

‘‘It’s still a game of rugby. Nothing changes in terms of how you win the game. It’s external pressure, external noise and the prize that changes it. We understand what’s important in our game to get right, and a lot of it is around our mindset.’’

Sport

en-nz

2021-06-18T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-06-18T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://fairfaxmedia.pressreader.com/article/282729114852008

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