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Akira Ioane to miss Blues' 'challenge' against the Brumbies

By Finn Morton

02 Mar 2023

Hoskins Sotutu, Akira Ioane of the Blues look on ahead of the round one Super Rugby Pacific match between Highlanders and Blues at Forsyth Barr Stadium, on February 25, 2023, in Dunedin, New Zealand. (Photo by Joe Allison/Getty Images)

The Blues will be without star flanker Akira Ioane will then run out to Melbourne’s AAMI Park to take on the Brumbies in a highly anticipated semi-final rematch on Sunday afternoon.

Ioane will miss the round two clash after injuring his knee in last Saturday’s 60-20 win over the Highlanders at Dunedin’s Forsyth Barr Stadium.

The Blues will take on Australian heavyweights the Brumbies at 4:00pm NZT, in the final match of the Super Round weekend.

All 12 Super Rugby Pacific teams will play out of the same venue at Melbourne’s AAMI Park over three nights, starting with the Crusaders versus the Highlanders on Friday.

The Brumbies will undoubtedly be hungry for revenge following tehri thrilling loss in last year’s semi-final at Eden Park.

Blues captain Dalton Papali’i is confident that his team are well prepared “to meet that challenge” against the Brumbies.

“You can’t stand still in this competition, otherwise teams will run straight past you,” Papali’i said in a statement.

“We know the Brumbies will bring a physical, confronting game and we have been preparing all week to meet that challenge.”

The Blues have made four changes to their starting XV ahead of the round two clash, and they’re all in the forward pack.

Blues coach Leon MacDonald has selected a new-look front row of Joshua Fusitu’a, Ricky Riccitelli and James Lay.

“All three front rowers deserve their starts this week which double as an opportunity to put their hand up in a hotly contested area of the park for us,” MacDonald said.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how this front row gel on Sunday.”

As for the second-row, last week’s partnership of Patrick Tuipulotu and Cameron Suafoa have been named in the starting side once again.

Fan favourite Tom Robinson has been named for his Super Rugby Pacific return, although he has been bracketed alongside flanker Adria Choat.

Either Robinson or Choat will replace the injured Ioane in the No. 6 jersey.

“You never want to see players get injured and it’s an unfortunate blow for Akira this early in the season, but he’s working with our medical staff on a rehab program to get him back and fit,” MacDonald added.

“It’s great to have several options at loose forward and we’ll make a call on Tom and Adrian closer to Sunday with both players making the trip to Melbourne.”

The backline remains unchanged, with Finlay Christie and Beauden Barrett set to take the playmaking reins once again the halves.

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Rieko Ioane will start in the midfield once again, the outside backs will also look to repeat last weekend’s heroics – especially Mark Telea.

Blues team to take on the Brumbies:

Joshua Fusitu’a
Ricky Riccitelli
James Lay
Patrick Tuipulotu
Cameron Suafoa
Tom Robinson (Adrian Choat)
Dalton Papali’i
Hoskins Sotutu
Finlay Christie
Beauden Barrett
Caleb Clarke
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck
Rieko Ioane
Mark Telea
Stephen Perofeta

Replacements:

Kurt Eklund
Ofa Tu’ungafasi
Marcel Renata
James Tucker
Adrian Choat (Anton Segner)
Taufa Funaki
Bryce Heem
Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens

Unavailable: Sam Darry (knee), Akira Ioane (knee), AJ Lam (illness), Sam Nock (calf), Harry Plummer (ribs)

-Press release/Blues

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Comments on RugbyPass

GrahamVF 13 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

500k registered players in SA are scoolgoers and 90% of them don't go on to senior club rugby. SA is fed by having hundreds upon hundreds of schools that play rugby - school rugby is an institution of note in SA - but as I say for the vast majority when they leave school that's it.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 20 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

There is a continued murmur in local circles about reciprocal bi annual tours between SA and Argentine. Whether it's full blooded test tours or development tours or a mixture - ie touring with a "test" 20 and a development 20 the cream of which will be used in tests. We actually really enjoy playing the Argies and I believe they enjoy playing us. It goes back seventy years to the Junior Bok tours to Argentine involving Isaac van Heerden.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 27 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

About 500K of those are schoolboys 90% of which will not go on to play club rugby.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 28 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Exactly. Shoo would that it was so easy to develop competitions.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 32 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

SA wealthy? Compared to which countries. The economy is in tatters unemployment is at record low numbers and you think SA has money to spend on rugby development -0 and remember the SARU was technically bankrupt and was only saved by the COVID tour of the B&I Lions. No Sa doesn't have spare cash lying round for rugby development and given the resources SARU is doing just fine.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 36 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

South African domestic rugby is in great shape. Four top tier franchises fed by a series of competitions ranging from national schools competitions through Varsity Cup to Currie Cup and then to top four franchises is a model Australia would do well to follow. SA should never have more than four top domestic teams.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 40 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

That might be the best spin off from SA's involvement north of the line.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 41 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Of course not Nick 😉

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 45 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

We have our own theories about The Sharks. Plumtree is a good coach but he has not done anywhere near the best he could with the talent and money he has at his disposal and it doesn't help to have a marquee director of rugby who has spent by far the majority of his career playing and coaching sevens.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 50 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Don't worry - you'll win again soon then you'll feel a lot better. Right now get on with your SH comps and we'll get on with being barely the best in the world.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 53 minutes ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

JW you really have no idea of how Africa works. It will take generations not decades no matter how much SA puts into it. The poverty in Africa is something that is obviously beyond your understanding. Do you think the governments of impoverished nations are going to watch happily as rugby pours massive investments into infrastructure to promote what is essentially a white western game? And SA was trying hard to develop the game in Africa until the African vote blocked our "23 bid after the independent consultants to the RFU voted unanimously for SA? The Confederation of African Rugby virtually excluded South Africa.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Nick, our association with Argentina Rugby runs very long and deep. We are exploring reciprocal two/three test tours in the future - and even more games at neutral venues such as in Europe where a lot of both teams have players anyway.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

"has SA actually EVER helped to develop another union to maturity like NZ has with Japan," yes - Argentina. You obviously don't know the history of Argentinian rugby. SA were touring there on long development tours in the 1950's

We continued the Junior Bok tours to the Argentine through to the early 70's

My coach at Grey High was Giepie Wentzel who toured Argentine as a fly half. He told me about how every Argentinian rugby club has pictures of Van Heerden and Danie Craven on prominent display. Yes we have developed a nation far more than NZ has done for Japan. And BTW Sa players were playing and coaching in Japan long before the Kiwis arrived. Fourie du Preez and many others were playing there 15 years ago.

"Isaac Van Heerden's reputation as an innovative coach had spread to Argentina, and he was invited to Buenos Aires to help the Pumas prepare for their first visit to South Africa in 1965.[1][2] Despite Argentina faring badly in this tour,[2] it was the start of a long and happy relationship between Van Heerden and the Pumas. Izak van Heerden took leave from his teaching post in Durban, relocated to Argentina, learnt fluent Spanish, and would revolutionise Argentine play in the late 1960s, laying the way open for great players such as Hugo Porta.[1][2] Van Heerden virtually invented the "tight loose" form of play, an area in which the Argentines would come to excel, and which would become a hallmark of their playing style. The Pumas repaid the initial debt, by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park, and emerged as one of the better modern rugby nations, thanks largely to the talents of this Durban schoolmaster.[1]"

After the promise made by Junior Springbok manager JF Louw at the end of a 12-game tour to Argentina in 1959 – ‘I will do everything to ensure we invite you to tour our country’ – there were concerns about the strength of Argentinian rugby. South African Rugby Board president Danie Craven sent coach Izak van Heerden to help the Pumas prepare and they repaid the favour by beating the Junior Springboks at Ellis Park.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

Which country do you think was instrumental in developing rugby in Argentina which then spun off into the rest of Latin South America? South Africa was touring Argentine in the 50's with their Junior Bok side on three months development tours. And they didn't do it to cultivare players for the Boks. Regarding Africa you are not taking into account that South Africa itself is an emerging nation. The rugby union has prioritised the development of rugby in South African rural communities with outstanding success.

It has taken 15 years to build the participation of rugby both in playing and watching. For South Africa on its own to build a viable international rugby competition in africa will take generations - not decades. New Zealanders seem to resent the fact that SA has doubled the income of the URC since their inclusion. If New Zealand Rugby hadn't insisted on have a disproportionate slice of the pie in Super Rugby, SA might not have fled the coop.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 1 hour ago

Does South Africa have a future in European competition?

I think this debate is avoiding the elephant in the room. Money. According to the URC chief executive Martin Anayi, the inclusion of SA teams has doubled the income of the URC. There is no doubt that the SA teams benefit from the URC but so do the other countries' teams. Perhaps it doesn't affect a club like Leinster but the less well off clubs benefit hugely from South African games' TV income. I don't think SA continued inclusion in the URC is a slam dunk. They don't hold all the cards by a long way - but they do have an ace in the hole. The Ace of Diamonds.

158 Go to comments

GrahamVF 2 hours ago

How Wallace Sititi humbly reacted to All Blacks Player of the Year honour