SOTUTU BACK TO BOLSTER BLUES
Sotutu back to bolster Blues ahead of battle in the south
The Blues welcome back the 2024 Super Rugby Player of the Year, Hoskins Sotutu to their team for their first away game of the Super Rugby Pacific Championship against the Highlanders.
Sotutu is back to full fitness after a leg niggle in pre-season, returning to his accustomed role at No. 8 for a Blues team focussed on improving their performance after their opening round loss.
The forward pack is largely unchanged with Sotutu’s return allowing the powerful Cameron Suafoa to return to his more accustomed role on the blindside flank, with Anton Segner, who impressed in the opening game, to add thrust off the bench.
All Black Finlay Christie, who was sharp off the bench on Saturday, moves to the starting lineup, with the rest of the team unchanged from the opening round clash against the Chiefs.
The other change in the reserves sees former Crusader hooker, James Mullan set to make his Blues debut off the bench.
“We did not get the outcome we wanted against a very good Chiefs team, but it was just the start of a long season, and we will be much better for it this week,” said head coach, Vern Cotter.
“There were a lot of things done well but the boys are well aware of the areas in which they need to improve, and are working very hard this week in training.
“This competition is going to be extremely competitive between all New Zealand and Australian teams, as we all saw with the close results throughout all matches in the opening round.
“We need a strong platform along with accuracy at the collision for us to prosper. When we did this well on Saturday, the team was dangerous but we need to achieve it for longer periods in the game.”
The match kicks off at 7.05pm on Saturday in Dunedin.
The Blues team is (Blues caps in brackets):
1. Ofa Tu’ungafasi (150)
2. Ricky Riccitelli (39)
3. Marcel Renata (54)
4. Patrick Tuipulotu (110) ©
5. Laghlan McWhannell (12)
6. Cameron Suafoa (25)
7. Dalton Papali’i (84)
8. Hoskins Sotutu (66)
9. Finlay Christie (55)
10. Harry Plummer (76)
11. Caleb Clarke (65)
12. AJ Lam (44)
13. Rieko Ioane (113)
14. Mark Tele’a (68)
15. Beauden Barrett (31)
Reserves: 16. James Mullan (Debut), 17. Joshua Fusitu’a (22), 18. Angus Ta’avao (67), 19. Josh Beehre (12), 20. Adrian Choat (46), 21. Taufa Funaki (27), 22. Corey Evans (15), 23. Cole Forbes (18).
Players not considered: Kurt Eklund (groin), Sam Darry (shoulder, season), PJ Sheck (shoulder), Zarn Sullivan (foot), Stephen Perofeta (calf), Ben Ake (shoulder).