Blues make intriguing Beauden Barrett call which could impact All Blacks while champions open Super Rugby Pacific without 2024’s MVP
Blues and All Blacks utility back Beauden Barrett.
The Super Rugby Pacific title holders, the Blues, have named their side for the opening clash of the 2025 season, with Vern Cotter making some interesting decisions.
Cotter’s biggest call comes in the playmaking positions as Harry Plummer gets the nod at fly-half after guiding them to success last year.
Plummer combines with Taufa Funaki at half-back with Beauden Barrett selected at full-back on his return to the Blues team after missing the 2024 campaign.
Barrett was not part of their title success having taken a short-term sabbatical in Japan, where he played for Toyota Verblitz.
All Blacks fly-half
The 33-year-old ended the previous year as the All Blacks’ first choice 10 and head coach Scott Robertson may hope that his Blues foray at 15 will not last too long.
Plummer, who was the Auckland outfit’s fly-half in 2024 and has taken the shirt for their clash with the Chiefs on Saturday, will leave New Zealand at the end of the season after signing a long-term contract with French side Clermont Auvergne.
That leaves Barrett to combine with Mark Tele’a and Caleb Clarke in a very gifted Test back three while another All Blacks star, Rieko Ioane, is at centre.
Up front, it is a big year for Dalton Papali’i and he is part of a loose trio which includes Cameron Suafoa and Anton Segner.
Last year’s Super Rugby MVP, Hoskins Sotutu, misses the game as he is currently nursing a knee injury.
The Blues are also without Sam Darry, who will be absent for the entire campaign, and that means Laghlan McWhannell partners captain Patrick Tuipulotu in the second-row.
Marcel Renata, Ricky Riccitelli and Ofa Tu’ungafasi complete the starting XV.
On the bench, there are a couple of potential debutants in the form of Nathaniel Pole and the highly rated Che Clark, who had been with the All Blacks Sevens team since 2022.
“The team can draw confidence from the championship title last year, but this is 2025, a new season and we all start on zero points,” Cotter said.
“There is no magic formula, just loads of hard work, clarity of roles and game plan, and execution.
“This group of men has talent to burn. If we can harness it in one clear direction, then there is no reason why we cannot prosper this year.
“The team is excited to start the season at our fortress of Eden Park with our fans out in force to support us.”
Blues team to face Chiefs
Blues: 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Mark Tele’a, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 AJ Lam, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Harry Plummer, 9 Taufa Funaki, 8 Cameron Suafoa, 7 Dalton Papali’i, 6 Anton Segner, 5 Laghlan McWhannell, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu (c), 3 Marcel Renata, 2 Ricky Riccitelli, 1 Ofa Tu’ungafasi
Replacements: 16 Nathaniel Pole, 17 Josh Fusitua, 18 Angus Ta’avao, 19 Che Clark, 20 Adrian Choat, 21 Fin Christie, 22 Corey Evans, 23 Cole Forbes
Date: Saturday, February 15
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland
Kick-off: 19:05 local (06:05 GMT)
Referee: Damon Murphy (Australia)
Assistant referees: Reuben Keene (Australia), Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)
TMO: Brett Cronan (Australia)
READ MORE: Beauden Barrett ‘well aware’ of Joseph Suaalii’s ‘game-changing’ threat ahead of Super Rugby Pacific
