INVESTEC SUPER RUGBY OFFICIAL MATCH PROGRAMME | SATURDAY 11 MARCH 2017
BLUES VS HIGHLANDERS
Play the game or change it Mental agility can be a game changer in rugby and business alike. It is with this foresight and tenacity that we help create and manage your wealth, through Specialist Banking, Asset Management and Wealth & Investment.
www.investec.com
Specialist Banking
Asset Management
Wealth & Investment
Investec Limited and its subsidiaries, including Investec Bank Limited - 1969/004763/06, registered credit providers and authorised ďŹ nancial service providers. Johannesburg 011 286 7000 Cape Town 021 416 1000 Durban 031 575 4000 Pretoria 012 427 8300 Port Elizabeth 041 396 6700.
A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSOR PLAY THE GAME OR CHANGE IT
ABOUT INVESTEC
Investec is an international specialist bank and asset manager that provides a diverse range of financial products and services to a select client base in three principal markets – the UK and Europe, South Africa and Asia/Australia as JANET LARSEN well as certain other countries. The Head of Marketing group was established in 1974 and Investec South Africa currently has approximately 9 300 employees. Investec focuses on delivering distinctive profitable solutions for its clients in three core areas of activity, namely Asset Management, Wealth & Investment When it comes to seeking out new initiatives and Specialist Banking. and fresh financial opportunities forthe clients, In July 2002 Investec group we go the distance.implemented Delivering a world-class a dual listed company range of products and services including structure with listings on the Johannesburg Specialist Wealth &and Investment and Stock all our event partners to enhanceBanking,London On behalf of the Blues board, Exchanges. The combined group’s the game day experience forManagement. our staff and players welcome to Asset current market capitalisation is Members and fans. our first home game of the 2017 investec.co.za/rugby approximately GBP4.7 billion. Away from match day we Investec Super Rugby season. A hope you stay connected with special thank you goes to Principal the team through our regular Partner nib and all our commercial communications, social media partners and Members for their channels and free public events. support, including those that We also hope you can support our joined with us for the first time this new community initiative; Best season. Foot Forward, where we recycle 2017 is shaping up to be an used boots and provide them to historic year with our first ever young local players in need. Super Rugby games in Apia and Check our website for all the Tokyo and a match against the details including the upcoming touring British and Irish Lions in Investec Limited and its subsidiaries, including Investec Bank Limited - 1969/004763/06 Blues in the Burbs events June. We know expectations are throughout Auckland over the high this year and while we can Esse 16 11682 Investec Match day Programme_Blues.indd 1 17/02/2016 17:14 coming weeks. never make predictions about results be assured every person in Kind regards the club is strongly performance focussed, on and off the field. Home advantage is tremendously important to our players and they get a great lift playing in front MICHAEL REDMAN of our passionate supporters at CHIEF EXECUTIVE home. We continue to work with It’s time for another epic season of Investec Super Rugby. With 18 teams competing in the gruelling tournament, we look forward to many action-packed encounters. For the seventh consecutive year, Investec has been the title sponsor of all games played in New Zealand. As enablers of international rugby, we are pleased to see the tournament’s growing geographical interest and reach. We look forward
to exciting, fiercely contested matches, made up of many Out of the Ordinary moments. We wish all teams the best. Game on.
To be great in any field of play takes vision
A WELCOME NOTE FROM OUR CHIEF EXECUTIVE
BLUES VS HIGHL ANDERS | 11 MARCH 20 17 3
PUNT F R PLAY WEEKLY
$600,000 PRIZE POOL*
ARE YOU GAME? SIGN UP TO PLAY NEW ZEALAND’S BIGGEST RUGBY COMP AT PUNTFORPRIZES.CO.NZ
The Official Community Partner of
*Terms and conditions apply. See puntforprizes.co.nz for details.
Blues VS Highlanders
THE LAST TIME WE MET
All photos © Copyright Photosport Ltd 2016 www.photosport.nz
It was the first match of the 2016 Investec Super Rugby season. The much-fancied Highlanders were looking to kick off their title defence with a win, while the battling Blues were looking to do the same under new coach Tana Umaga. Buoyed by the balmy late February weather and the promise of some quality rugby, a bumper crowd of fans flocked to the Garden of Eden to see some hard-hitting and fast-running rugby. They didn’t have to wait long. Within eight minutes, Highlanders’ fullback Ben Smith scores the first try of the season, putting his side ahead early. The Blues reply ten minutes later. Melani Nanai scores on the back of an Ihaia West kick down field, which is collected by flying winger Lolagi Visinia, who puts his fullback into space. Continues page 7 »
BLUES VS HIGHL ANDERS | 11 MARCH 20 17 5
SUPER INTO SUPER RUGBY? We get it. Rugby’s your life, but all that other stuff keeps getting in the way. FAN PASS was made for fans like you. It gives you instant access to every Investec Super Rugby game live, with the freedom to come and go as you please. Available on selected smartphones, tablets and PC/Mac, with streaming to the big screen via Chromecast. It’s all about watching your favourite sport on your terms. Find out more at fanpass.co.nz
FAN PASS Powered by SKYSPORT
Continued from page 5 It’s a lovely try, soon overshadowed by arguably the best try of the match. Young flanker Blake Gibson bulldozes through Ben Smith, trailing three other Highlanders players in his wake. But two quick Highlanders tries late in the half – both the result of turnover possession and strong defence – give them the 24-20 half time advantage. The injection of Akira Ioane, Charlie Faumuina and Rene Ranger spark a physical second half by the Blues, with the boot of West giving the home side the lead again at 26-24, off the back of some bruising play and a series of penalties against the Highlanders. It was capped when winger Patrick Osborne was yellow carded with 10 minutes to play. The Blues smashed forward with player-ofthe-day Patrick Tuipulotu powering over by the posts for a 33-24 lead. But it was game on when Smith answered in the corner three minutes from time, his try was converted by Hayden Parker. The Blues pushed back on to attack and held on for a telling victory. The Tana Umaga era was off with a bang. “It was a brutal battle and one we are very glad to come out the right side of,” he said after the game. “They threw a lot at us but we showed enough determination and patience to wear them down.” We’re looking forward to the sequel at Eden Park on Saturday.
BLUES VS HIGHL ANDERS | 11 MARCH 20 17 7
Q&A Talented first five-eighth Ihaia West is back in 2017 and rearing to go. Since the last time we saw him in a Blues jersey, the Hawkes Bay native has represented his home province in the Mitre 10 Cup and been on tour with the New Zealand Maori. We caught up with him ahead of our first home game of the season. Tell us something not many people know about you I played representative cricket for Central Districts growing up, before choosing to specialise in rugby during my last year of school. What has been your career highlight to date? Playing for the New Zealand Maori – I’m so proud every time I get to wear that black jersey. And also winning the Ranfurly Shield with Hawke’s Bay. What’s your earliest rugby memory? Bare feet, early morning, on the freezing grass at Anderson Park in Havelock North. Who was your sporting idol when you were a kid? Jared Cunningham, who’s from
IHAIA WEST
FIRST FIVE-EIGHTH 1.75M | 84KG | 25YR
Havelock North as well, and also played for Hawke’s Bay and the Blues. He was the super star at our club, and was always helping out the young fullas. I always looked up to him. Describe yourself in three words Short but handsome. What’s your favourite place in Auckland? Mercury Plaza. The boys like to go there at least once a week. Do you have any match day superstitions? Not hard out, but, like, I always put on my left sock on before my right – it’s the same with my boots. Left is always first. Who on the team will always make you laugh? Rene Ranger, because he’s always a bit of a clown. Finally, what’s your rugby priority in 2017? We all want to achieve the same thing this year and that’s to play finals footy. So my aim is to cement the number 10 jersey and just do whatever I’ve got to do to help us get there.
BLUES VS HIGHL ANDERS | 11 MARCH 20 17 9
Best Foot Forward DONATE YOUR BOOTS TO KIDS IN NEED The Blues are calling on the public to help us provide rugby boots to the disadvantaged kids in our community who need them the most. Together with Yakult and rugby legend Keven Mealamu, we’ve started the Best Foot Forward programme – or ‘BFF’ for short – to collect and clean pre-loved boots, and then redistribute them to worthy recipients at clubs and schools in our region.
« Look out for our BFF collection bins if you'd like to donate your old boots!
Blues players have already donated their own boots to the cause, but we need even more if we’re going to help break down one of the biggest barriers to deprived children playing sport. “We don’t want youngsters to miss out on the joys of team sport because of financial reasons,” said Mealamu, “especially when good boots are being chucked out or left lying in wardrobes all over Auckland.” So dig out the old boots that are going to waste at the back of your closet and bring them along to one of our home games. There will be blue BFF collection bins at Eden Park and QBE Stadium, as well as at the Blues High Performance Centre in Epsom. Continues page 19 »
BLUES VS HIGHL ANDERS | 11 MARCH 20 17 1 1
hirabhana.co.nz
PLAYER STATS Pauliasi Manu James Parsons
184 M | 115 KG | 29 YR | 7 CAPS
1.85 M | 106 KG | 31 YR | 65 (64 SR) CAPS
Charlie Faumuina
Jimmy Tupou
1.85 M | 125 KG | 30 YR | 89 CAPS
196 M | 109 KG | 24 YR | 2 CAPS
Patrick Tuipulotu
Jerome Kaino
1.98 M | 120 KG | 24 YR | 35 CAPS
1.96 M | 109 KG | 33 YR | 119 CAPS
Blake Gibson
Murphy Taramai
1.86 M | 102 KG | 21 YR | 15 CAPS
1.87 M | 98 KG | 25 YR | 1 CAP
Augustine Pulu
Ihaia West
189 M | 90 KG | 27 YR | 2 CAPS
1.75 M | 84 KG | 25 YR | 39 CAPS
Rene Ranger
George Moala
1.83 M | 102 KG | 30 YR | 73 CAPS
1.88 M | 99 KG | 26 YR | 55 (54 SR) CAPS
Rieko Ioane
Matt Duffie
1.88 M | 103 KG | 19 YR | 7 CAPS
1.92 M | 92 KG | 26 YR | 9 CAPS
Michael Collins
Matt Moulds
187 M | 94 KG | 23 YR | 2 CAPS
1.88 M | 107 KG | 25 YR | 6 CAPS
Sam Prattley
Ofa Tu'ungafasi
1.96M | 116KG | 27 YR | 36 (35 SR) CAPS
1.95 M | 129 KG | 24 YR | 44 (43 SR) CAPS
Gerard Cowley-Tuioti
Akira Ioane
1.96 M | 110 KG | 24 YR | 3 CAPS
1.94 M | 113 KG | 22 YR | 19 CAPS
Billy Guyton
Piers Francis
1.86 M | 90 KG | 33 YR | 15 (17 SR) CAPS
1.82 M | 92 KG | 26 YR | 13 CAPS
Melani Nanai 1.94 M | 90 KG | 23 YR | 26 CAPS
BLUES VS HIGHL ANDERS | 11 MARCH 20 17 1 3
COACH
BLUE HIGHLA
ASSISTANT COACHES
Tana Umaga
Alistair Rogers Steve Jackson Dave Ellis
MANAGER Richard Fry
15
Michael Collins
14
Matt Duffie
13
7.35pm SATURDA EDEN
Rieko Ioane
12
George Moala
11
Rene Ranger
10
Ihaia West
9
Augustine Pulu
8
Murphy Taramai
7
Blake Gibson
6 RESERVES 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Matt Moulds Sam Prattley Ofa Tu'ungafasi Gerard Cowley-Tuioti Akira Ioane Billy Guyton Piers Francis Melani Nanai
Jerome Kaino
5
Patrick Tuipolotu
4
Jimmy Tupou
3
Charlie Faumuina
2
James Parsons
1
Pauliasi Manu
REFE
Glen Ja
ASSISTANT
Brendon Angus
TM
Shane Mc
ES VS ANDERS
ASSISTANT COACHES Mark Hammett Scott McLeod Jon Preston
ackson
T REFEREES
n Pickerill Mabey
MO
cDermott
MANAGER Paul McLaughlan
15
Richard Buckman
14
Waisake Naholo
AY 11 MARCH 2017 PARK
EREE
COACH Tony Brown
13
Malakai Fekitoa
12
Rob Thompson
11
Tevita Li
10
Lima Sopoaga
9
Aaron Smith
8
Luke Whitelock
7
Elliot Dixon
6
Gareth Evans
5
Tom Franklin
4
Alex Ainley
3
Siosuia Halanukonuka
2
Liam Coltman Daniel Lienert-Brown
1
RESERVES
Junior Pole Aki Seiuli Siate Tokolahi Joe Wheeler Jackson Hemopo Dillon Hunt Kayne Hammington Marty Banks
16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
PLAYER STATS Daniel Lienert-Brown 1.84 M | 112 KG | 24 YR | 28 CAPS
Liam Coltman
Siosuia Halanukonuka
1.85 M | 109 KG | 27 YR | 56 CAPS
1.86M | 120 KG | 31 YR | 14 CAPS
Alex Ainley
Tom Franklin
1.97 M | 109 KG | 36 YR | 19 CAPS
1.99 M | 110 KG | 27 YR | 38 CAPS
Gareth Evans
Elliot Dixon
1.90 M | 105 KG | 26 YR | 29 CAPS
1.93 M | 109 KG | 28 YR | 65 CAPS
Luke Whitelock
Aaron Smith
1.90 M | 104 KG | 26 YR | 62 CAPS
1.71 M | 83 KG | 29 YR | 94 CAPS
Lima Sopoaga
Tevita Li
1.75 M | 91 KG | 26 YR | 65 CAPS
1.82 M | 95 KG | 22 YR | 30 CAPS
Rob Thompson
Malakai Fekitoa
1.84 M | 103 KG | 26 YR | 11 CAPS
1.87 M | 99 KG | 25 YR | 49 CAPS
Waisake Naholo
Richard Buckman
1.86 M | 96 KG | 26 YR | 28 CAPS
1.84 M | 98 KG | 28 YR | 33 CAPS
Junior Pole
Aki Seiuli
N/A
1.84 M | 116 KG | 25 YR | 7 CAPS
Siate Tokolahi
Joe Wheeler
1.84 M | 116 KG | 25 YR | 28 CAPS
2.00 M | 111 KG | 30 YR | 52 CAPS
Jackson Hemopo
Dillon Hunt
1.95 M | 112 KG | 24 YR | 1 CAP
N/A
Kayne Hammington
Marty Banks
1.70 M | 75 KG | 27 YR | 5 CAPS
N/A
1 6 BLUES VS HIGHL ANDERS | 11 MARCH 20 17
» Continued from page 11 February and March will be the core collection time. The Blues players themselves will be actively involved in cleaning and distributing the boots in late March and April. Yakult Director, Sales and Corporate Affairs David Whatley commented: “As a company we believe it’s important to contribute back to the community you’re engaged with. “Given our focus is on health and wellbeing, we are delighted to support a project that will help more youngsters get active and enjoy the passion for rugby shared by all New Zealanders.” Blues General Manager Brand & Community, Robyn Rowley added: “Every day the Blues strive to put their best foot forward in training and in life… and that’s what they’ll be urging and inspiring the boots’ new owners to do as well.”
Blues players preparing and cleaning donated rugby boots »
BLUES VS HIGHL ANDERS | 11 MARCH 20 17 1 9
The brand new MILO champions activity tracker for kids has arrived! Get your kids active by joining the MILO champ squad.
LEARN SKILLS TRACK ACTIVITY IMPROVE NUTRITION BUILD A CHAMPION Find out more at champsquad.co.nz. Simply sync the band to the MILO Champions ANZ APP.
Get started with a MILO Champ Band available at: RRP $39.95 each
BNZ FLEXI DEBIT VISA Your key to Android Pay
â„¢
8038
FIND OUT MORE AT BNZ.CO.NZ/ANDROIDPAY
BNZ Flexi Debit Visa terms and fees apply and are subject to change. $10 annual card fee applies. Android Pay is only available via compatible Android devices. Android Pay can only be used at outlets that accept contactless payments, and online when activated by the merchant. Android, Android Pay, Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc.
8038 Android Pay Blues match prog ad 5.0.indd 1
28/02/17 4:34 pm
BLUES PRINCIPAL PARTNER
MAJOR PARTNERS
MAJOR SPONSORS
BLUES FAMILY OF SPONSORS
PLAY ON
W I N E S
FUTURE BLUES
BLUES CLUBHOUSES
2017 STANDINGS NZ CONFERENCE
P
W
D
L
F
A
DIF
BP
PTS
HURRICANES CHIEFS CRUSADERS BLUES HIGHLANDERS
2 2 2 2 2
2 2 2 1 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 1 2
154 65 47 82 42
23 41 40 59 54
131 24 7 23 -12
2 2 0 1 1
10 10 8 5 1
AUS CONFERENCE
P
W
D
L
F
A
DIF
BP
PTS
FORCE REDS WARATAHS BRUMBIES REBELS
2 2 2 2 2
1 1 1 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
1 1 1 2 2
39 47 55 35 24
38 52 68 44 127
1 -5 -13 -9 -103
1 1 0 2 0
5 5 4 2 0
SA CONFERENCE 1
P
W
D
L
F
A
DIF
BP
PTS
STORMERS CHEETAHS BULLS SUNWOLVES
2 2 2 2
2 1 0 0
0 0 0 0
0 1 2 2
69 59 52 40
49 56 71 120
20 3 -19 -80
0 1 1 0
8 5 1 0
SA CONFERENCE 2
P
W
D
L
F
A
DIF
BP
PTS
LIONS JAGUARES SHARKS KINGS
2 2 2 2
2 1 1 1
0 0 0 0
0 1 1 1
83 64 53 63
61 58 50 62
22 6 3 1
1 1 1 0
9 5 5 4
OVERALL
HURRICANES (NZ LEADER) LIONS (SA2 LEADER) STORMERS (SA1 LEADER) FORCE (AUS LEADER) CHIEFS CRUSADERS BLUES JAGUARES REDS SHARKS CHEETAHS KINGS WARATAHS BRUMBIES HIGHLANDERS BULLS REBELS SUNWOLVES ©PHOTOSPORT
2 2 BLUES VS HIGHL ANDERS | 11 MARCH 20 17
PTS
10 9 8 5 10 8 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 2 1 1 0 0
2017 FIXTURES MATCH RESULT
ROUND 3 MATCHES
1
REBELS VS BLUES
2
CHIEFS VS BLUES
3
BLUES VS HIGHLANDERS
4
CRUSADERS VS BLUES
5
BLUES VS BULLS
-
6
BLUES VS FORCE
-
7
HIGHLANDERS VS BLUES
-
8
BLUES VS HURRICANES
-
10
BRUMBIES VS BLUES
-
11
WARATAHS VS BLUES
-
12
BLUES VS CHEETAHS
-
13
STORMERS VS BLUES
-
14
BLUES VS CHIEFS
-
15
BLUES VS REDS
-
17
SUNWOLVES VS BLUES
-
ROUND
Thu 23 Feb | AAMI Park | 9:45PM Fri 3 Mar | FMG Stadium | 7:35PM Sat 11 Mar | Eden Park | 7:35PM
Fri 17 Mar | AMI Stadium | 7:35PM Sat 25 Mar | QBE Stadium | 7:35PM Sat 1 Apr | Eden Park | 5:15PM Sat 8 Apr | Forsyth Barr | 7:35PM Sat 15 Apr | Eden Park | 7:35PM Sun 30 Apr | GIO Stadium | 6:05PM Sat 6 May | Allianz Stadium | 9:45PM Fri 12 May | Eden Park | 7:35PM Fri 19 May | Newlands, Cape Town | 5:00AM Fri 26 May | Eden Park | 7:35PM Fri 2 Jun | Apia Park, Samoa | 7:35PM Sat 15 Jul | Chichibunomiya Stadium | 3:05PM
W
18-56
CHIEFS V HURRICANES
L
41-26
BRUMBIES V FORCE
10 Mar | Hamilton | 7:35PM
10 Mar | Canberra | 9:45PM
-
BLUES V HIGHLANDERS
-
REDS V CRUSADERS
11 Mar | Auckland | 7:35PM
11 Mar | Brisbane | 9:45PM
KINGS V STORMERS
12 Mar | Port Elizabeth | 2:05AM
CHEETAHS V SUNWOLVES 12 Mar | Bloemfontein | 4:15AM
SHARKS V WARATAHS 12 Mar | Durban | 6:30AM
JAGUARES V LIONS
12 Mar | Buenos Aires | 8:40AM
©PHOTOSPORT
BLUES VS BRUMBIES | 8 JULY 2016 23
BE PART OF all THE EXCITEMENT
FOR EVERY BLUES SUPER RUGBY GAME LIVE ACTION, PRIZES, GIVE-AWAYS & SPECIAL GUESTS
The Paddington 117 St George's Bay Rd Parnell 09 309 3586 Dominion Bar 234 Dominion Rd Mt Eden 09 623 2121 Andy’s Burger Bar Level 2, Sky City Atrium Cnr Federal St & Victoria St 09 363 6000
Alexandra Park Greenlane West Epsom 09 630 5660
Doolan Brothers Botany 29 Botany Town Centre Dr Botany 09 271 2001
Britomart Country Club 31 Galway St Britomart 09 303 2541 OFFICIAL PARTNER OF THE BLUES