Super Rugby Pacific preview: Time for buoyant Blues to match Crusaders' consistency stuff.co.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from stuff.co.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Over 30 New Zealand players made their Super Rugby debuts in 2021. Across the nation, which of this year s newbies had the biggest impact for their sides?
Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
Patrick Tuipulotu, left, and Dalton Papalii have finally shaken off injuries to return to action for the Blues.
The Blues are clearly not buying into the woeful Waratahs storyline, returning their two fit-again All Blacks to active duty and making just three changes to the starting XV that put a half-century past the Rebels last Saturday. The bookies have the Blues as unbackable favourites to become the 10th straight team to wallop the winless Waratahs in 2021 when they run out on Saturday at Eden Park (4.35pm kickoff) for their second game of this Super Rugby Trans-Tasman competition.
Melbourne have failed to stop the New Zealand rout of Australian sides, crashing to the Blues in their opening round Super Rugby Trans-Tasman clash. Despite a new coach at the helm, with assistant Kevin Foote stepping up after Dave Wessels’ departure, it was more of the same from the Rebels, who missed the Super Rugby […]