Flavell out to finish on a high

Despite going down 26-22 to the Crusaders at the weekend Blues captain Troy Flavell insists his side still have plenty to play for.

Despite going down 26-22 to the Crusaders at the weekend Blues captain Troy Flavell insists his side still have plenty to play for.

However as they go into their last three games he knows they will need three wins if they are to stand a chance of making the Super 14 play-offs.

The Blues next play the Reds in Brisbane then the Highlanders in Dundiedin before playing the final game against the Hurricanes at home.

Flavell admitted his team's finishing skills were not up to scratch in Friday's defeat but remains confident that they can rectify problems ahead of their clash with the Reds.

“It's a bit of a cliche but we've still got to approach each game one week at a time,” he told Sportal.

“Even though we lost the other night against the Crusaders I think we can draw a lot of confidence out of the way that we performed.

“I think the attitude was there but unfortunately we didn't execute a few of the opportunities we created for ourselves.”

Even with three wins the Blues will be relying on teams above them to drop points if they are to make the play-offs, a predicament Flavell is painfully aware of.

“I haven't had time to sit down and nut it all out yet but I know we've still got an opportunity there, the doors still open so it's just going to be one game at a time and hope for the best,” he said.

“I think our game plan will pretty much stay the way it is, our systems right so it's just a matter of executing and I think the goal of getting five points each game is going to bring us a more attacking attitude,” he said.

Flavell said the Blues have enough quality players to have been much more competitive this year but things haven't gone the way they should have and it is now important to finish the season strongly.

“We've got the personnel here but we've just been a bit hot and cold,” he added.

“It's hard to point it down to one thing. Our set pieces have been going alright and we're still creating a lot of opportunities for ourselves.

“Linebreak-wise we're probably the best in the competition, defensively our stats stack-up so it's just crucial penalties or mistakes at crucial times.

“We just need to prove to each other that we're a capable side.

“The pressure is on for us to perform. I think as a whole our team will just go out with an attacking attitude, I mean we've got nothing to lose so that can create definite dangers for the opposition.

“Sure we haven't reached our potential this season but it would be good if we could go out in these last three games strongly,” said Flavell.

This is to be Flavell's last year with the Blues as he is understood to be moving back to Japan at the end of the campaign, something he said is timely and is the right thing to do.

“I'm just negotiating on a deal at the moment but nothing's finalised,” he revealed.

“I've been around for a little while now and I'm getting a bit long in the tooth so it's time to sort of move on I guess.

“I've obviously played with a lot of these guys for a few years now and it will be nice if we can share a few good moments rather than just come out with losses all the time.”