Super Rugby playoffs: No calculators required for defending champion Blues
Blues head coach Vern Cotter during a Blues Super Rugby Pacific training session at Alexandra Park in Auckland.
Photo:
Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz / Photosport Ltd
Chiefs v Blues
Kick-off: 7:05pm Saturday 7 June
FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton
Live blog coverage on RNZ Sport
While the Super Rugby playoff picture appears complicated, it's a very simple equation for the Blues.
The new finals format is introduced this weekend, which features a second life for one 'lucky loser.'
However, there will be no such reprieve for the defending champions.
No calculators required; win and progress, or lose and it's 'better luck next year'.
"The weight is off the shoulders. We have qualified. It's 80 minutes of rugby. It's pretty straightforward," said Blues coach Vern Cotter.
The Blues have arguably the toughest task of all sides this weekend, heading down the highway to meet a rampant Chiefs side.
"It hasn't been an easy season. But we love this time of year, this is what we are in this game for, to be able to challenge for trophies. The objective is clear, it's a knockout game, we need to win to move forward."
The quarter-final may see the final appearances in blue for the departing Mark Tele'a, Harry Plummer, Ricky Riccitelli, and Adrian Choat, however there will be no focus on farewells.
"That was
last week
. Now it's just about playoffs and winning."
While it's been a poor campaign from the Blues, squeaking into the top six at the expense of a Moana Pasifika side which ran out of gas, Cotter has seen a positive trend from his side in the past month, which most recently included a 46-6 drubbing of the Waratahs to secure their finals berth.
"It's all about timing, you've just got to get there, and this is the time you front. As much as the team has been criticised, it has held tough."
Rieko Ioane with Blues head coach Vern Cotter.
Photo:
Brett Phibbs / www.photosport.nz
Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan has made a surprise selection for the quarter, opting to shift 2024 breakout sensation Wallace Sititi to the bench.
"That's representative of the depth they have, if we start well, we will we have to finish well because they are a team that can turn things around at any moment, and their bench has been big for them this year."
One area of vulnerability for the Chiefs may be their midfield, with incumbents Anton Lienert-Brown and Quinn Tupaea both sidelined with injury.
Conversely, Blues centre Reiko Ioane responded to weeks of criticism for poor performances with a hat-trick in the Waratahs rout.
"We have gone into play-off mode now."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
3 hours ago
- RNZ News
Super Rugby Pacific: Moana Pasifika release 15 players from franchise
Moana Pasifika. Photo: Andy Radka/ActionPress Moana Pasifika have dropped a bombshell in the form of 15 players. The franchise announced on social media the mass release of squad members, many of whom have been with the side since its inception. Also leaving is star winger Kyren Taumoefolau, rumoured to be heading to the Chiefs and former skipper Sione Havili-Talitui. The players released include Fine and Lotu Inisi, Neria Fomai, Danny Toala, Michael Curry, Havili-Talitui, Taumoefolau, Pepesana Patafilo, Alamanda Motuga, Sama Malolo, Aisea Halo, Tomasi Maka, Connor Seve, Irie Papuni and Pone Fa'amausili. "Goodbyes are never easy, but they remind us just how meaningful the journey has been. Thank you brothers for everything," Moana posted on their social media channels. Moana enjoyed their strongest season to date in 2025, picking up wins over every Kiwi franchise except the Chiefs, and narrowly missing out on a play-off berth, finishing in seventh. However, the gloss was somewhat removed from a sparking start, conceding 149 points in their final two outings.
RNZ News
4 hours ago
- RNZ News
Super Rugby Pacific: Crusaders scrum the Reds out of the play-offs
Will Jordan of the Crusaders. Photo: John Davidson / It wasn't pretty, but the Crusaders have recorded a dominant 32-12 win over the Reds in Christchurch. The result means the Crusaders can sit back and watch tomorrow's games to find out who they'll play in next weekend's semi-finals, while the Reds will be wondering where it all went wrong after such a promising start to the season. A good start would be to look at their scrum, which was smashed to bits by the Crusaders from start to finish in tough conditions thanks to the horrific weather battering the South Island. The Crusaders racked up a 5-0 penalty count early in the first half, with three coming off scrums which in turn were converted into excellent field position. Scott Barrett got the home side on the board first with a well taken yet slightly questionable try from a turnover near the Reds' line. It certainly appeared that the All Blacks captain came in from an offside position but the referee and TMO seemed more preoccupied with whether Barrett grounded the ball, which he did so the try stood. The only other scoring in the first half, despite a couple of decent Reds linebreaks, was when Tamaiti Williams crashed over in the 27th minute. The Reds really needed to score straight after the break if they were to have any chance, however by that stage the game had regressed into more of a kicking duel. A half break by Christian Lio-Willie out of nowhere set up the try of the match to Noah Hotham, with the halfback regathering his own kick despite the attention of several Reds defenders. From then on, the result was inevitable, and while the Reds were eventually rewarded with a couple of late tries, it was clear that they'd resigned themselves to defeat long before. It wasn't all perfect for the Crusaders, though. Williams' try was his last act before leaving the field with a knee injury, while Ethan Blackadder was yellow carded for a needless high tackle. Still, tonight's job was done, and they now sit one game away from ultimate redemption for last season. Read how the game unfolded with RNZ's live blog:
RNZ News
6 hours ago
- RNZ News
All White Libby Cacace facing World Cup selection battle after Italian club relegation
Libby Cacace has experienced the highs and lows of football within months. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/ All Whites defender Libby Cacace has an uncertain future, after experiencing the highs of international football and the lows of club football within months. Part of the New Zealand squad that qualified for next year's Football World Cup in March, the 24-year-old returned to Italian club side Empoli, who were batting to avoid relegation out of Serie A. In May, Empoli dropped down to Serie B for next season, putting Cacace in a tough position before the global tournament. "It wasn't a was a nice feeling, getting relegated, but it was definitely an experience that will help me grow as a player," he said. "I was hoping that it wouldn't come down to the last match day, like it did. Doing that two seasons in a row takes a toll on you mentally and physically." Cacace's agent would work behind the scenes, but he was still contracted with Empoli for another season. All Whites coach Darren Bazeley favoured players who were getting game time in top competitions and said Cacace's left-back position, among others, was one with plenty of competition in World Cup squad selection. "I have no worries that players will get the right environments for themselves and, whilst we want everybody playing every minute of every club game, it's not just on that," Bazeley said. "We've got players that are really good in our environment and our culture, so there's lots of different reasons for selections for different players. We look at every decision individually, positionally, but it does get tougher." The All Whites celebrate their World Cup qualification against New Caledonia. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / New Zealand play Côte d'Ivoire and Ukraine in the Canadian Shield this week, two of the highest-ranked opponents they have faced this year. With many of their club seasons over, Bazeley said he would have to make use of most of his squad during the games in Toronto. "I think it's going to be difficult for a lot of players to play 90 minutes, so we'll definitely be looking to use the squad and make changes. We can use six substitutes for this game and I can imagine we'll do that, so we'll get 17 players that get game time and probably pretty good game time." Despite this, Bazeley would also try to find consistency with players. "We've got a style of play in and out of possession that we've got agreed with the players that we've been working on for the last year, and we've agreed that we don't keep changing, because we don't get a chance to train that much. "We get together for an international window and and you can't keep starting again, playing a different formation or trying to do new things. What we need to do is just get better and better at what we do. "In every game we've played in the last 18 months, two years, we've had moments within games that we've executed things really well. The challenge now is we do that more, we do that more consistently and regularly, and we do it against better teams." Cacace expected Côte d'Ivoire to offer a different challenge to the Pacific Island teams that the All Whites played to get to the World Cup. "They'll be very physical and they'll use their physical attributes to try to dominate us, but at the same time, we've got to make sure that we use our strengths to hurt them. "I think if we do that, we can have a good chance of winning." New Zealand Football wanted the All Whites to face as many different playing styles as possible in preparation for the World Cup. "That's going to be very important heading into a World Cup, because we're going to be playing three different sides and they're all going to be different, so we're just going to make sure that we adapt the best way possible and use these games to make sure we can adapt," Cacace said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
