Source: Radio New Zealand
Anton Segner will step in for the injured Dalton Papali’i this weekend. Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
While many would consider the tactics to be boring or ugly, for Blues coach Vern Cotter, they are a thing of beauty.
No nonsense, up the guts, smash-and-bash footy.
Few teams do it better than the Blues and they will need to bring every ounce of ugly in order to knock over the high-flying Hurricanes on Saturday night at Eden Park.
“The beauty of rugby is the collisions and the physical contact so I think if you let the Hurricanes play, I mean they’ve scored just about the most tries I think in the competition so if you’re going to deny them that, you’re going to have to be present at the points of contact which is around that collision and contact tackle and carry so I think that’s beautiful,” Cotter said.
In the heart of that physical battle will be Anton Segner, promoted to starting openside after Dalton Papali’i fractured his jaw against the Crusaders last week.
Segner said not to expect an expansive Blues gameplan.
“We’re a team that prides ourselves on our physicality. And yeah, if you’re part of a team like that, then things do get ugly, it’s cliché for a reason that the games are lost and won up front.”
The German-born loosie admitted they didn’t turn up at Te Kaha, as the Crusaders out-worked them under the roof.
“We put out a disappointing performance last week, there’s a whole lot of get-betters that we need to get out of that game and right our wrongs. There’s a good bit of edge in there (at training). So you can definitely tell that we’re excited about playing the top of the table team at the moment.”
Cotter conceded that the Canes were the benchmark at the moment.
“They’re playing good rugby. So we look at it as an awesome opportunity for us to show them what we have, because we know that when we play our game and we play our game well, that we can give them a good challenge.”
As well as the irrepressible form of Fehi Fineanganofo, who is on track to break a 30-year try scoring record, the Hurricanes have also welcomed back the dangerous Kini Naholo making for a lethal wing pairing.
Fineanganofo has dotted down 15 times in 2026, just one shy of Joe Roff and Ben Lam’s combined season record of 16.
“You’ve got to respect the quality, it’s the plague or cholera, isn’t it? That’s one or the other. So they’re both very good but yeah we’re aware of the strength they have on the edges and they get the ball space there and they can beat players not only with their step but also with their power so it becomes one-on-one so a big job for us,” said Cotter.
A big job lies ahead for Segner, who shoulders more responsibility this weekend as he steps in for the injured skipper.
He has been in career-best from at the Blues, but has been tuning out external calls for an All Black promotion.
“I want to earn my performance each week, I know that there’s a bit of chat about that out there but to be fully honest with you I’m not focused on that. I’m focused on the Blues and on the game this weekend and my main focus going into this season is to win a championship here.”
While the Blues will be without Papali’i, Beauden Barrett is back in the number 10 jersey for the crucial clash.
“It’s time to step up a bit, it’s a home game and we’re towards the end of the season. So we’ll just have a look at our intent on the paddock,” Cotter said.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand