INVESTEC SUPER RUGBY OFFICIAL MATCH PROGRAMME | FRIDAY 22 MAR 2019
BLUES VS Highlanders
A run can raise the roof. As rough as they look, well-timed tackles can be gamewinning moves. Through tackles like these, Investec has for the past nine years been able to bring world-class rugby to fans, as title sponsor of all New Zealand-based Investec Super Rugby and Investec Rugby Championship games. We look forward to bringing you even more. #BestOFtheBestRugby
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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 well as other certain countries. The group was established in 1974 and currently has approximately 10 146 employees. Investec focuses on delivering distinctive profitable solutions for its clients in three core areas of activity namely, Asset Management, Wealth & Investment and Specialist Banking. In July 2002 the Investec group implemented a dual listed company structure with listings on the London and Johannesburg Stock Exchanges. The combined group’s current market capitalisation is approximately GBP 4.93 billion.
Welcome Investec Super Rugby | Top 15
Investec has enjoyed a strong partnership with New Zealand Rugby over nine consecutive years. This has resulted in us having a platform — in supporting er nine consecutive years. This has resulted in us having a platform — in supporting Investec Super Rugby and Investec Rugby Championship games played in d in New Zealand — from which to be enablers of international rugby. And there’s no New Zealand — from which to be enablers of international rugby. And there’s look forward to the pride, passion and standard of play that the global rugby arena no better year than this, a Rugby World Cup year, to use this platform. We look forward to the pride, passion and standard of play that the global rugby arena will produce. Everything of the best to all the players.
Regards Danni Dixon – Head of Marketing Investec SA
ovides a diverse range of financial products and services to a select client base in About Investec ustralia as well as certain other countries. The group was established in 1974 and
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 nts inWelcome three core areas of activity namely, Asset Wealth & Investment markets – the UK and Europe, South AfricaManagement, and Asia/Australia as well as certain other countries. The group was established in 1974 and currently has approximately Investec Super Rugby | Top 15 10 146 employees.
enjoyed a strong partnership with New Zealand Rugby over nine consecutive years. This has resulted in us having a platform — in supporting ture Investec with has listings on the London and Johannesburg Stock Exchanges. The combined Investec Super Rugby and Investec Rugby Championship games played in New Zealand — from which to be enablers of international rugby. And there’s no better year than this, a Rugby World Cup year, to use this platform. We look forward to the pride, passion and standard of play that the global rugby arena will produce. Everything of the best to all the players.
Investec focuses on delivering distinctive profitable solutions for its clients in three core areas of activity namely, Asset Management, Wealth & Investment and Regards, Danni Dixon – Head of Marketing Investec SA Specialist Banking. About Investec
2002specialist the Investec group implemented a dual company withclient base in Investec In is anJuly international bank and asset manager that provides a diverse range listed of financial products andstructure services to a select three principal markets – the UK and Europe, South Africa and Asia/Australia as well as certain other countries. The group was established in 1974 and on the London and Johannesburg Stock Exchanges. The combined group’s currently listings has approximately 10 146 employees. current market capitalisation is approximately GBP4.93 billion.
Investec focuses on delivering distinctive profitable solutions for its clients in three core areas of activity namely, Asset Management, Wealth & Investment and Specialist Banking. In July 2002 the Investec group implemented a dual listed company structure with listings on the London and Johannesburg Stock Exchanges. The combined group’s current market capitalisation is approximately GBP4.93 billion.
and-based Rugby Championship and Super Rugby games.
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MATCH PREVIEW:
blues vs highlanders HEAD TO HEAD 2019 STATS RANK 14
19.0
POINTS PER GAME
21.4
RANK 13
RANK 1
145.0
CARRIES
99.4
RANK 12
RANK 5
423.5
METRES MADE
328.0
RANK 13
RANK 9
8.8
CLEAN BREAKS
7.6
RANK 13
RANK 3
25.5
DEFENDERS BEATEN
14.8
RANK 15
RANK 3
11.0
OFFLOADS
6.6
RANK 9
RANK 7
6.5
TURNOVERS WON
5.0
RANK 13
OVERALL HEAD TO HEAD RESULTS OVERALL GAMES: 31
16 WINS
15 WINS BLUES VS HIGHL ANDERS | 22 MAR 20 19 5
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Season kicks off with 5 debuts The rookies are making their mark on the field for the Blues. While our All Blacks are household names, let’s tell you a little more about some of our newcomers who have been getting time on the playing roster. Coming off the bench for his first game for the Blues in the win over the Sunwolves was big Tasman centre, Levi Aumua. Levi is an Australian-raised Kiwi who has played in the Top 14 in France as well as in rugby league in Brisbane, where his team made the finals in 2016. He returned to New Zealand to play for Tasman where he produced block-busting performances at centre. Closer to home, physical loose forward Matt Matich has chalked up three appearances this season off the bench. Born and raised in Northland, he graduated through Mt Albert Grammar in Auckland and was the first recipient of the
John Drake Memorial Scholarship to Auckland University, and played for the University RFC. He played for Auckland in 2015 before moving back to Northland where he has played since. He is a Rugby Development Officer for the Union. Matt made his Super debut as a replacement for the Chiefs in 2018 and played for the Provincial Barbarians against the British & Irish Lions at home in Whangarei in 2017. Upfront Marcel Renata made his Blues debut against the Sunwolves. He is a young tighthead prop who came through the Auckland and Blues development programme and was a standout for Auckland in their 2018 Mitre-10 Cup campaign. He has played for the Maori All Blacks since 2016 and played twice for the Hurricanes as a replacement in 2018. A young prospect who has
impressed this year to earn starts against the Jaguares and Sunwolves so far is Auckland’s Tanielu Tele’a. He is a former St Kents midfielder who played for NZ Schools before playing for Samoa U20s at the world championship in 2017. Tanielu moved to NZ U20s in 2018 and played for the Auckland Mitre-10 Cup team. He’s a big, strong running centre or wing who was part of the ITC programme with the Blues in 2018. The latest rookie who is Blues No 298 is North Harbour prop Lua Li. Lua, who plays for East Coast Bays, came into the Harbour Mitre-10 cup team, ironically, to cover for All Black and Blues prop, Karl Tu’inukuafe. The 27 year old is 120kgs and 180cm, and is very mobile for a big man. He is the brother to North Harbour and current Highlanders winger Tevita Li. L to R: Levi Aumua, Matt Matich, Marcel Renata, Tanielu Tele'a, Lua Li
BLUES VS HIGHL ANDERS | 22 MAR 20 19 7
The pain and the gain of injuries
Big West Auckland lock Scott Scrafton had targeted the 2018 Super Rugby season to make his mark in the game. But the plans for the 2m tall forward came tumbling down when he suffered a season ending injury – with a tear to both his anterior cruciate ligament and his medial collateral ligament in his knee. The prognosis was a year out of the game. At 25 years young, Scrafton had to shelve the big plans he had for himself and the team. “I was pretty negative to start with because of how serious it was. Everyone takes injuries differently, but I was really gutted because it was so severe. I was told it would be 12 months and that is such a long time for a young rugby player to be out of the game,” Scott said. “I was starting and thought I was starting to play alright and then it came to a sudden end. “The first six weeks I was in the leg brace and couldn’t drive, so I was stuck inside in front of the TV. That was tough. My girlfriend was awesome because I got into a pretty bad head-space. All of the normal simple things that you take for granted becomes next level hard. Scott worked through this before he started to target his rehab and realised the challenge and the importance of getting it right. “The staff at the Blues were awesome. They told me to take my time but when I was ready they also pushed me. You need to push to be as good as you can. They were good in terms of understanding – being supportive but also
pushing when it was needed.” The 117kg middle rower, who has always struggled to put on weight, decided he wanted to come back better than before. “Until you get some size you can’t progress as a tightie. I took ages to put weight on when I left school. One upside from the
8 BLUES VS HIGHL ANDERS | 22 MAR 20 19
injury is that I’ve come back 4kgs bigger than before I was injured – so I have put good weight on. Now I want to get back and get some minutes.” Scott has played rugby at the Massey club from the age of five but was never serious until he moved to St Kentigern College on scholarship for his final year at school. He made the 1st XV and that year also made the Blues U18 and the NZ Schools team to Australia. His St Kents team included the likes of Joe Edwards, Sione Mafileo, Seta Tamanivalu and Albert Vete, initially at the Warriors but now playing for at the Melbourne Storm. “I got picked up to the Auckland Academy from there, to Auckland in 2014 where I played a few games and then had a full season in 2015 and got picked up by the Blues in 2016.” He said he was fizzing to get on the park off the bench in the win over the Sunwolves but realises his good mates and fellow locks are also playing super-well, and competition to get playing time will be good for them all and the team.
PLAYER STATS Ma'a Nonu Alex Hodgman
1.82 M | 105 KG | 36 YR | 27 BLUES CAPS
1.96 M | 122 KG | 25 YR | 15 BLUES CAPS
TJ Faiane
James Parsons
1.75 M | 92 KG | 23 YR | 20 BLUES CAPS
1.85 M | 106 KG | 32 YR | 95 BLUES CAPS
Tanielu Tele'a
Sione Mafileo
1.87 M | 107 KG | 20 YR | 3 BLUES CAPS
1.78 M | 112 KG | 25 YR | 37 BLUES CAPS
Melani Nanai
Gerard Cowley-Tuioti
1.94 M | 90 KG | 25 YR | 52 BLUES CAPS
1.96 M | 112 KG | 26 YR | 34 BLUES CAPS
Leni Apisai
Josh Goodhue
1.82 M | 108 KG | 23 YR | 7 BLUES CAPS
1.99 M | 115 KG | 23 YR | 10 BLUES CAPS
Ofa Tuungafasi
Tom Robinson
1.95 M | 129 KG | 26 YR | 72 BLUES CAPS
1.98 M | 110 KG | 24 YR | 4 BLUES CAPS
Karl Tu'inukuafe
Blake Gibson
1.86 M | 135 KG | 26 YR | 4 BLUES CAPS
1.86 M | 102 KG | 23 YR | 31 BLUES CAPS
Patrick Tuipulotu
Akira Ioane
1.98 M | 120 KG | 26 YR | 56 BLUES CAPS
1.94 M | 113 KG | 24 YR | 53 BLUES CAPS
Dalton Papalii
Jonathan Ruru
1.93 M | 113 KG | 21 YR | 11 BLUES CAPS
1.83 M | 94 KG | 26 YR | 16 BLUES CAPS
Augustine Pulu
Harry Plummer
1.89 M | 90 KG | 29 YR | 28 BLUES CAPS
1.84 M | 94 KG | 20 YR | 4 BLUES CAPS
Otere Black
Rieko Ioane
1.85 M | 86 KG | 23 YR | 4 BLUES CAP
1.88 M | 103 KG | 22 YR | 39 BLUES CAPS
Levi Aumua
Matt Duffie
1.83 M | 118 KG | 24 YR | 1 BLUES CAP
1.92 M | 95 KG | 28 YR | 36 BLUES CAPS
BLUES VS HIGHL ANDERS | 22 MAR 20 19 9
COACH
BLUE highla
ASSISTANT COACHES
Leon MacDonald
Tana Umaga Tom Coventry Dan Halangahu Ben Afeaki
MANAGER Richard Fry
15
Melani Nanai
14
Tanielu Tele'a
13
7.35pm FRIDAY 2 EDEN
TJ Faiane
12
Ma'a Nonu
11
Rieko Ioane
10
Harry Plummer
9
Jonathan Ruru
8
Akira Ioane
7
Blake Gibson (C)
6 RESERVES 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
Tom Robinson
5
Leni Apisai Ofa Tuungafasi Karl Tu'inukuafe Patrick Tuipulotu Dalton Papalii Augustine Pulu Otere Black Levi Aumua / Matt Duffie
Josh Goodhue
4
Gerard Cowley-Tuioti
3
Sione Mafileo
2
James Parsons
1
Alex Hodgman
REFE
Marius van de
ASSISTANT
Nic B Brendan
TM
Ben S
ES VS anders
ASSISTANT COACHES Mark Hammett Glenn Delaney Clarke Dermody Riki Flutey
er Westhuizen
T REFEREES
Berry n Pickerill
MO
Skeen
MANAGER Paul McLaughlan
15
(CC) Ben Smith
14
Waisake Naholo
22 MARCH 2019 PARK
EREE
COACH Aaron Mauger
13
Patelesio Tomkinson
12
Thomas Umaga-Jensen
11
Tevita Li
10
Marty Banks
9
Aaron Smith
8
(CC) Luke Whitelock
7
Dillon Hunt
6
Shannon Frizell
5
Tom Franklin
4
Pari Pari Parkinson
3
Tyrel Lomax
2
Liam Coltman Ayden Johnstone
1
RESERVES
Ray Niuia Daniel Lienert-Brown Siate Tokolahi Josh Dickson Jackson Hemopo Folau Fakatava Josh Ioane Richard Buckman
16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
PLAYER STATS Ayden Johnstone 1.84 M | 120 KG | 22 YR
Patelesio Tomkinson
Liam Coltman
1.82 M | 94 KG | 22 YR
1.85 M | 109 KG | 29 YR
Waisake Naholo
Tyrel Lomax
1.86 M | 96 KG | 27 YR
1.92 M | 127 KG | 23 YR
Ben Smith
Pari Pari Parkinson
1.86 M | 93 KG | 32 YR
2.04 M | 119 KG | 22 YR
Ray Niuia
Tom Franklin
1.74 M | 118 KG | 27 YR
2.00 M | 110 KG | 28 YR
Daniel Lienert-Brown
Shannon Frizell
1.84 M | 112 KG | 26 YR
1.95 M | 108 KG | 25 YR
Siate Tokolahi
Dillon Hunt
1.84 M | 116 KG | 27 YR
1.89 M | 103 KG | 24 YR
Josh Dickson
Luke Whitelock
2.00 M | 109 KG | 24 YR
1.90 M | 104 KG | 28 YR
Jackson Hemopo
Aaron Smith
1.95 M | 112 KG | 25 YR
1.71 M | 83 KG | 30 YR
Folau Fakatava
Marty Banks
1.77 M | 80 KG | 19 YR
1.91 M | 91 KG | 29 YR
Josh Ioane
Tevita Li
1.76 M | 85 KG | 23 YR
1.82 M | 95 KG | 24 YR
Richard Buckman
Thomas Umaga-Jensen
1.84 M | 98 KG | 29 YR
1.87 M | 95 KG | 21 YR
1 2 BLUES VS HIGHL ANDERS | 22 MAR 20 19
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Phil Healey
Blues Strength and Conditioning Coach, Phil Healey knows what it takes to shape a successful Super Rugby team. He was the S&C Coach behind the successful Chiefs team that won back-to-back Super Rugby Championships in 2012 and 2013, with their head coach attributing a significant part of their success to their physical preparation. Now Phil is leading a fantastic S&C Team who are working hard to raise the bar for the Blues both on and off the field. Phil originally came from Opotiki on the east coast of the Bay of Plenty, before his family moved to Pukekohe when he was a teenager. There he enjoyed both competitive swimming and rugby through the age grades while at school before deciding to embark on a career in Sport and Exercise Science, heading to Hamilton to study before returning to Pukekohe. He initially started as a Swim Coach before moving to a role with Counties Manukau Rugby in the national provincial championship. After a stint overseas, Phil returned to re-join Counties Manukau as their Strength and Conditioning Coach when they moved up to the first division under coaches Kevin Putt, Errol Brain and Darryl Suasua. His Super Rugby opportunity came in late 2008 when Nic Gill moved on from the Chiefs to join the All Blacks, and he would spend nine years with the Super Rugby club. They made the finals in his first full season and won Super titles in 2012 and 2013. Phil followed coach Dave Rennie to UK to experience rugby there with the Glasgow Warriors for two seasons before returning home with
his family to take up the role with the Blues. He is known as a tough task-master with his attitude built on his early days as an age group swimmer and the dedication required for those daily 5am training sessions. Phil is joined in the S&C team by John Ryan and Scott Pinfold along with highly regarded sports scientist Dr Brett Smith, who played a key role with the developing of New Zealand Rowing, and nutritionist Dane Baker, who has worked with FIFA, the Black Ferns and NZ Hockey teams and the NZ Olympic team. “I have a fantastic S&C Team at the Blues and they are all very dedicated and they understand that we work in a performancebased sport. “Some of them have been part of successful high performance sporting environments and understand the levels of sacrifice, discipline and hard work that it takes to be successful. This is helping greatly in helping to guide our young team who are working really hard and coming to grips with the reality that winning is not easy.”
BLUES VS HIGHL ANDERS | 22 MAR 20 19 1 7
2019 STANDINGS NEW ZEALAND CONFERENCE
P
W
D
L
F
A
DIF
BP
PTS
CRUSADERS HURRICANES HIGHLANDERS BLUES CHIEFS
5 5 5 4 5
4 3 2 1 0
1 1 1 0 1
0 1 2 3 4
141 133 107 76 110
84 115 107 93 194
57 18 0 -17 -84
1 1 2 2 1
19 15 12 6 3
AUSTRALIAN CONFERENCE
P
W
D
L
F
A
DIF
BP
PTS
REBELS BRUMBIES WARATAHS SUNWOLVES REDS
4 5 4 5 4
3 2 2 1 1
0 0 0 0 0
1 3 2 4 3
120 139 91 121 94
108 136 86 153 117
12 3 5 -32 -23
1 3 2 2 1
13 11 10 6 5
SOUTH AFRICAN CONFERENCE
P
W
D
L
F
A
DIF
BP
PTS
BULLS LIONS STORMERS SHARKS JAGUARES
4 5 4 4 5
3 3 3 2 2
0 0 0 0 0
1 2 1 2 3
119 137 73 96 113
56 137 76 70 138
63 0 -3 26 -25
1 1 1 3 1
13 13 13 11 9
OVERALL
CRUSADERS REBELS BULLS HURRICANES LIONS STORMERS HIGHLANDERS BRUMBIES SHARKS WARATAHS JAGUARES BLUES SUNWOLVES REDS CHIEFS
1 8 BLUES VS HIGHL ANDERS | 22 MAR 20 19
PTS
19 13 13 15 13 13 12 11 11 10 9 6 6 5 3
2019 FIXTURES ROUND
MATCH RESULT
1
BLUES VS CRUSADERS
2
SHARKS VS BLUES
3
JAGUARES VS BLUES
Sat 16 Feb | Eden Park | 7:35PM
L
L
Sun 24 Feb | Kings Park, Durban | 2:05AM NZT
Sun 03 Mar | José Amalfitani Stadium Buenos Aires | 10:40AM NZT
22-24 26-7
L
23-19
W
28-20
BLUES VS SUNWOLVES
5
BYE
6
BLUES VS HIGHLANDERS
-
7
BLUES VS STORMERS
-
8
BLUES VS WARATAHS
-
9
CHIEFS VS BLUES
-
10
HIGHLANDERS VS BLUES
-
11
BYE
12
BRUMBIES VS BLUES
-
13
BLUES VS HURRICANES
-
14
BLUES VS CHIEFS
-
15
CRUSADERS VS BLUES
-
16
BLUES VS BULLS
-
17
REDS VS BLUES
-
18
HURRICANES VS BLUES
-
Fri 22 Mar | Eden Park | 7:35PM
Sat 30 Mar | Eden Park | 7:35PM Sat 06 Apr | Eden Park | 7:35PM Sat 13 Apr | FMG Stadium, Hamilton | 7:35PM Sat 20 Apr | Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin | 7:35PM
Sat 04 May | GIO Stadium, Canberra | 9:45PM Fri 10 May | Eden Park | 7:35PM Sat 18 May | Eden Park | 7:35PM Sat 25 May | AMI Stadium, Christchurch | 7:35PM Fri 31 May | Eden Park | 7:35PM Fri 07 Jun | Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane | 9:45PM Sat 15 Jun | Westpac Stadium | 7:35PM
BLUES V HIGHLANDERS
Fri 22 Mar | Auckland | 7:35 PM
HURRICANES v STORMERS Sat 23 Mar | Melbourne | 7:35 PM
WARATAHS v CRUSADERS Sat 23 Mar | Sydney | 9:45 PM
SUNWOLVES v LIONS
4
Sat 09 Mar | QBE Stadium, Albany | 7:35PM
ROUND 6 MATCHES
Sat 23 Mar | Singapore | 11:55 PM
BULLS v CHIEFS
Sun 24 Mar | Pretoria | 2:05 AM
SHARKS v REBELS
Sun 24 Mar | Durban | 4:15 AM
REDS v BRUMBIES
Sun 24 Mar | Brisbane | 6:05 PM
BLUES VS HIGHL ANDERS | 22 MAR 20 19 1 9
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