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Desperate to crack the playoffs’ Blues - Super Rugby 2018 Preview

There remain many more questions than answers when evaluating the chances of the Blues in Super Rugby 2018.

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Progress has been slow and steady under coach Tana Umaga, entering his third season at the helm. But the key determinant on whether that progress is trending sharply upwards will come if they can haul themselves off the bottom of the New Zealand conference log and reach those elusive playoffs for the first time since Pat Lam’s 2011 charges.

It can be done. But there are several caveats.

The first is that they stay largely injury-free, always a challenge in this attritional competition. Their depth is untested and shallow. Isaac Salmon anyone? (He was Tasman’s No 4 prop, if you’re asking). Matt Johnson? (He was a midfielder for the stuttering Southland Stags in 2017). Flanker Blake Gibson, Auckland’s player of the season, is out until April after shoulder surgery.

That leaves a lot on the broad shoulders of Jerome Kaino in his final campaign for the franchise, and lock Patrick Tuipulotu, who needs to start 2018 the way he finished 2017. Ofa Tu’ungafasi is the man to show us he can fill Charlie Faumuina’s considerable boots. Former All Blacks prop Ben Afeaki is the new scrum coach and he will be tasked with wringing every bit of power and technique out of Tu’ungafasi, a long-term All Blacks project.

The full-strength backline has an imposing look about it, starting with newly minted captain Augustine Pulu, who knows he needs a big few months to regain his All Blacks jersey. Some may not have heard of Stephen Perofeta. We can assure you the No 10 is the real deal, and just needs to show us consistent game management to augment his classy touches. Bryn Gatland will kick the goals as back-up.

We await the full flowering of Sonny Bill Williams’ attacking game. We know the 32-year-old can tackle and offload, but we saw little of the other subtle touches for the 2017 Blues. He did, however, start to bring those on the All Blacks’ northern tour. George Moala, probably at centre, will seek a strong campaign before he heads offshore.

In the outside backs, try this for a mix of pace and X-factor: Rieko Ioane, Matt Duffie, Melani Nanai, Michael Collins and young Caleb Clarke.

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So, can Umaga unlock the full potential of this unit? So many questions, so few answers. But they are more than capable if the stars align.

One to watch

Caleb Clarke is a real chip off the ol’ block, son of former All Black Eroni Clarke, who played the last of his 51 games for the Blues in 2000.

Clarke junior is not yet 19 but was in sizzling form on the New Zealand Under 20s wing last season. He won three caps for Auckland and looked at home in the Mitre 10 Cup but failed to kick on, partially due to injury. If he can crack the Blues’ starting XV, and receive decent service from the midfield, he could again show us his wares.

2018 Predictions

New Zealand Conference Placing: 4th

Player of the Year: Augustine Pulu

Rookie of the Year: Caleb Clarke

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Best Signing: Leni Apisai

Breakout Player: Akira Ioane

Squad Movements

InsLeni Apisai (Hurricanes) Isaac Salmon (Tasman), Mike Tamoaieta (North Harbour), Dalton Papali’i (Auckland), Glenn Preston (North Harbour), Jonathan Ruru (Otago), Otere Black (Hurricanes)/Dan Kirkpatrick (Wellington), Bryn Gatland (North Harbour), Matt Johnson (Southland), Tamati Tua (Northland), Caleb Clarke (Auckland)

Outs: Hame Faiva (Treviso, Italy), Charlie Faumuina (Toulouse, France), Steven Luatua (Bristol, England), Brandon Nansen (Stade Francais, France), Sam Prattley, Billy Guyton, Matt Vaega, Declan O’Donnell, Rene Ranger (La Rochelle, France), Ihaia West (Hurricanes), Piers Francis (Northampton, England)

Squad: Leni Apisai, Matt Moulds, James Parsons, Alex Hodgman, Sione Mafileo, Pauliasi Manu, Isaac Salmon, Mike Tamoaieta, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, Josh Goodhue, Scott Scrafton, Patrick Tuipulotu, Jimmy Tupou, Blake Gibson, Akira Ioane, Jerome Kaino, Dalton Papali’i, Glenn Preston, Kara Pryor, Murphy Taramai, Sam Nock, Augustine Pulu (c), Jonathan Ruru, Otere Black/Daniel Kirkpatrick, Bryn Gatland, Stephen Perofeta, TJ Faiane, Sonny Bill Williams, Matt Johnson, George Moala, Tamati Tua, Rieko Ioane, Caleb Clarke, Melani Nanai, Matt Duffie, Michael Collins, Jordan Trainor

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It was a cold evening when I realized I had lost everything. My heart pounded in my chest as I stared at my empty crypto wallet. Three hundred thousand dollars’ worth of Bitcoin—gone. I had fallen victim to an elaborate scam, a promise of high returns that had turned into my worst nightmare.I had always been cautious with my investments, but these scammers were professionals. They posed as a legitimate crypto investment firm, complete with a polished website, convincing testimonials, and even fake regulatory approvals. Their scheme was perfect—until it wasn’t. After weeks of trying to recover my funds on my own, filing complaints, and chasing shadows, I almost gave up. That’s when I stumbled upon Galaxy Ethical Tech, a company renowned for its expertise in ethical tech solutions and cryptocurrency fraud recovery. Skeptical yet desperate, I reached out to Galaxy Ethical Tech through their official website. Within hours, I received a response from their lead investigator, Daniel Carter. His calm yet confident tone gave me a renewed sense of hope. We’ve handled cases like yours before,” he assured me. “If the scammers haven’t moved your Bitcoin through an extensive network of tumblers, there’s a good chance we can track it. I handed over all the details—wallet addresses, transaction IDs, emails, and even chat logs with the scammers. Within 48 hours, their team of blockchain analysts got to work.Galaxy Ethical Tech used advanced blockchain forensics to trace the movement of my stolen Bitcoin. Every transaction left a digital footprint, and with their AI-driven tracking tools, they followed the money trail. It turned out that the scammers had transferred my Bitcoin through a series of crypto mixers, attempting to break the chain of traceability. However, Galaxy Ethical Tech had access to specialized de-anonymization algorithms and partnerships with global cybersecurity agencies. One breakthrough came when they identified a suspicious transaction leading to a centralized exchange. Using legal channels and law enforcement partnerships, they froze the scammer’s wallet before they could cash out.After two intense weeks, I received an email from Galaxy Ethical Tech: We’ve recovered your lost Bitcoin. Expect the full amount in your wallet within 24 hours. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I checked my wallet obsessively until, finally, my 300,000 BTC was back.You don’t know what this means to me,” I said, my voice shaking.He chuckled. “Just another day at Galaxy Ethical Tech. Stay safe, and always verify before you trust. Losing my Bitcoin was a nightmare, but it taught me valuable lessons: Never trust unsolicited investment opportunities. Always verify the legitimacy of crypto platforms. Use secure wallets and enable two-factor authentication. If scammed, act fast and contact professionals like Galaxy Ethical Tech.Thanks to their ethical approach and cutting-edge technology, I got a second chance. If you ever find yourself in a crypto scam, don’t lose hope—there are still heroes in the digital world.

contact them via Email: galaxyethicaltech@mail.com Whatsapp: +15072712442 Telegram: Galaxy_ethical_tech

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