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- Blues Fixtures
| Fixture | Details |
|---|---|
| All times are local | |
| Super Rugby | |
| Saturday , June 1 | |
| Highlanders vs Blues | 08:35 |
| Saturday , June 29 | |
| Sharks vs Blues | 14:00 |
| Saturday , July 6 | |
| Cheetahs vs Blues | 14:00 |
| Saturday , July 13 | |
| Blues vs Chiefs | 08:35 |
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- Blues Results
| Fixture | Details |
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| Super Rugby | |
| Saturday , May 25 | |
| Blues 13 - 20 Brumbies |  |
| Saturday , May 18 | |
| Crusaders 23 - 3 Blues | |
| Saturday , May 11 | |
| Blues 36 - 32 Melbourne Rebels | |
| Friday , May 3 | |
| Blues 18 - 17 Stormers | |
| Friday , April 26 | |
| Reds 12 - 11 Blues | |
| Saturday , April 13 | |
| Blues 28 - 6 Hurricanes | |
| Friday , April 5 | |
| Blues 29 - 18 Highlanders | |
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- Table
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chiefs | 13 | 52 |
| 2 | Brumbies | 13 | 50 |
| 3 | Bulls | 11 | 46 |
| 4 | Cheetahs | 13 | 45 |
| 5 | Reds | 14 | 45 |
| 6 | Crusaders | 12 | 42 |
| 7 | Blues | 12 | 42 |
| 8 | Waratahs | 13 | 39 |
| 9 | Hurricanes | 13 | 38 |
| 10 | Stormers | 12 | 34 |
| 11 | Sharks | 12 | 33 |
| 12 | Melbourne Rebels | 13 | 32 |
| 13 | Southern Kings | 12 | 24 |
| 14 | Western Force | 14 | 23 |
| 15 | Highlanders | 12 | 17 |
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Comments
thedragonroars says...
good luck john kirwan. he has got good players now. sour grapes mr shelford?
Posted 21:38 20th July 2012
tha_mai says...
A sour response from Shelford - and bad form considering he was an unsuccessful applicant himself (Buck throws hat in ring for Blues coaching job). He wouldn't meet his own required coaching criteria - North Harbour over 10 years ago, and recently a coach for North Shore senior team.
Posted 04:49 20th July 2012
makemehappy says...
What a ridiculous comment! If someone is good enough and you have a track record, then that is what you should look at. Whether his track record is good enough is another matter. I'm sure Kirwin has a rough idea of the brand of rugby played in NZ anyway!
Posted 13:09 19th July 2012
rugby_rockstar says...
LOL! well that's pee'd all over the DREAM TEAM of Kirwin and Shelford then! :D
I don't think NZ club coaching experience is a must, especially for a New Zealander who has been immersed in the NZ rugby psyche from his formative years onwards.
Shelford's comments are elitist at best.
I'd also point out that his own coaching career at Northampton and Saracens was a failure. Hardly an expert opionion then.
Posted 10:00 19th July 2012
TheTruthHurts says...
Well there is only one way to fins out if he'll cut the mustard, i mean he coached international teams with very little on the plate to pick from and he seemed to do quite well...!
The numbers will prove it next season, surely he'll get the Blues to do better than they did this year???
Posted 09:47 19th July 2012
philb87 says...
I think it's difficult to judge someone totally when they have coached a side with limited aspirations (or should I say limited realstic aspirations) such as Italy or Japan. His record with them wasn't too bad though. You've got to remember that it wasn't so long ago that they were whipping boys in International rugby.
We should recognise too that Auckland rugby isn't the powerhouse that it once was. It needs restructuring from top to bottom.
Surely Kirwan's experience in helping burgeoning teams, including restructuring, alignment with clubs and youth development will be of benefit to the flagging Blues?
Also not sure I agree with Buck Shelford's criticism...
Kirwan may not have come through the NZ system coaching wise, and that may rile some, but I don't think one could say that coaching say Hawkes Bay or Manwatu in the ITM Cup is more valuable experience than being the figurehead of an international rugby union such as Italy or Japan.
Give the guy a chance. His partnership with Mick Byrne could be a future 'golden ticket'.
There is an interesting article on John Kirwan's mission to transform the Blues from a poisoned chalice into a golden one on 'Dumptackle Rugby Blog'.
Worth a read if your a Blues fan.
Posted 09:26 19th July 2012
leinster_goy says...
@Terry_English
keep your mitts off Schmidt - he's taken!!
Posted 09:00 19th July 2012
KiwiLad says...
And with that mildly crazed little rant, Buck lost a lot of credibility, with a lot of people...
Posted 08:18 19th July 2012
jonesy2 says...
hmm very interesting
Posted 08:02 19th July 2012
sandal says...
Shelford makes a good point.
I am not too keen on Kirwan's appointment, but for different reasons. I don't believe his record with Italy and Japan was particularly good. He has also been out of touch with New Zealand players, however much contact he may have maintained with the NZ scene.
But, more importantly, he just doesn't seem to be made of the right stuff. I know that is not an objective, scientific, assessment, but there are times when our instincts tell us what is right.
If JK proves a doubter like myself -- and a truly accomplished person like Shelford -- wrong, then well and good. I wish him luck.
Incidentally, does anyone know if John Plumtree, the Sharks coach, was on the list, as reported by the NZ Herald? I saw this as a good opportunity to bring a highly experienced person back to NZ. Sure, Plumtree also lacks recent contact with NZ players, but then he has had a lot of contact with SA ones. He certainly would have been my choice.
But the selection panel was high-powered, to say the least.
Posted 02:42 19th July 2012
Terry_English says...
JK took Japan to a Pacific Nations Cup in 2011 against the likes of Samoa, Fiji and Tonga. This should not be underestimated, especially when the following year they were winless under Eddie Jones.
Personally, I would have liked to have seen Vern Cotter or Joe Schmidt appointed and brought back into New Zealand rugby with a future to replace Hansen after the next world cup (assuming that he is still coach then). However, I am happy with the appointment of JK but I don't think it will be easy for him next year.
Posted 02:37 19th July 2012
three6three6 says...
These comments are untimely and very unfortunate.... I was hoping to read an announcement that 'Buck' Shelford had been appointed as forwards coach of the Blues, not that he was criticising the appointment of Sir John Kirwan as Blues Head Coach. Imagine a coaching team of Sir JK and Shelford at the Blues... Now that would have put bottoms on seats at Eden Park! This is now unlikely to happen!
Posted 02:14 19th July 2012
Laurence says...
So glad Kirwan got the job.A fine man who has enough nous and experience to get the job done.Sour grapes from Buck who was a fine leader and player but not good enough to coach Auckland at this level.Kirwan will know that he has to assemble a state of the art coaching team plus make tough decisions on players.There is still a problem with Auckland management ie Dalton who needs to also go.
Posted 01:06 19th July 2012
georgesmith says...
Buck needs to chill. Such comments at this time are totally unwarranted. Lets give JK a fair chance. At least he is better than P.Lam. Buck can vomit the venom if JK doesn't win a single game from the opening 3.
Posted 22:35 18th July 2012
phillipk says...
it is a pity comments deriding a coach that has taken a teir 2 country and has had some success. like italy success is not just acheived by win/loss but how they plyted. both teams that JK has coached showed alot of heart and played above expectations. sometimes not pretty but certainly better that criket scores both countrys were guilty of in the past. Pat's crime is not molding his team into a team with heart - plenty of talented players to burn and no character to the team when they loose. big difference when you compare highlanders whose player pool and top talent are less yet can regulary loose with heart, character and soul giving 100%.
Posted 22:17 18th July 2012
Oceansnz says...
well, there goes the idea of Buck being the forwards coach! Hahaha
He does raise an interesting point though. On paper it seems another Auckland Old Boy gets the top job.
Posted 22:08 18th July 2012
rakavi187 says...
and here was I thinking that maybe JK would get Buck on board as his forwards coach.
Posted 21:29 18th July 2012
ABlack says...
Rumour has it JK may look to appoint Buck as forwards coach.... not going to happen now!!!
Posted 20:45 18th July 2012
mew2000 says...
I agree with buck..... I would have liked to see jk do some local coaching in nz ..... What happens if his lackeys that help him arn't helping him but hurt the blues again? The buck stops with the head coach, I actually feel sorry for pat since he never got the kind of support that jk will get next year. They need to get rid of the deadwood at managment level before they come right..
Posted 19:55 18th July 2012
atg77 says...
Rather Parochial response. I think Kirwin has done more than enough to prove his worthiness of the position. Did some good work with two relatively limited teams.
Posted 19:45 18th July 2012