Blues, pioneer champions of Super Rugby, losing too many players for next season - Rugby
The New Zealander derby, Blues, which won the opening two competitions of Super Rugby are losing too many players from their squad to go into the next season of championship. At least six players have shifted their loyalties to offshore clubs and other teams
after the end of Super Rugby 15. Players like John Afoa, Stephen Brett, Luke McAlister, Winston Stanley, Joe Rokocoko and Jared Payne will not be seen in their side in the Super Rugby championship of 2012.
The conference really needs to revise their contract packages to avoid further drainage of key players. Otherwise it will be too difficult for them to maintain their status among the top sides of Super Rugby.
Blues started off their Super Rugby journey in 1996 in a great fashion and secured the very first trophy of its nature to become the very first champions in Super Rugby history. The Blues defeated the Natal Sharks in the final of Super Rugby season of 1996
by a monstrous difference of 45-12. The first championship of Super Rugby was played among the 12 sides of SANZAR member countries.
The side repeated history the very next season of Super Rugby by defeating the Australian derby Brumbies in the final of 1997 by 23-7. The Blues had secured world-wide fame after bagging the opening two crowns of Super Rugby. The side produced much better
results than the previous year and won ten games after 11 outgoings. However, they were blocked by the Crusaders in the final of 1998 championship thus deprived of making the first hat-trick of championships.
It took five years to make their place back into the final of Super Rugby. The Blues got back their title from the Crusaders in the Super Rugby final of 2003 and avenged the defeat of 1999.
After that victory against the Crusaders, the Blues have only managed to book their seat in the semi-final of the championship on two occasions and have failed to go through to the final of Super Rugby.
John Afoa, who played for the derby at props position for seven years, has been off to Ulster, an Irish club. The veteran player has played 71 Super Rugby games for Blues but decided to give up his career with the conference.
Stephen Brett, who joined the Blues during last year’s season of Super Rugby concluded his career just after the year closed with the blues and packed his bag for Japanese club Toyota Verblitz. He has played just one game with the Blues and his previous
record of Super Rugby for Crusaders was brilliant.
Luke McAlister, the third player of the Blues who is planning to leave for French club Toulouse, has asked New Zealand Rugby Union for a release after being side lined from All Blacks squad for Tri-Nations Cup 2011.
Joe Rokocoko has also made a new contract with French club Bayonne and will not be available for the Blues for next year’s Super Rugby. The winger is parting ways from the Blues after playing 78 games for the derby. Jared Payne and Winston Stanley are comparative
youngsters who are leaving for Western Force and Ulster respectively.
After the departure of six key players from their side it will be difficult for the Blues to keep up with the emerging clubs.
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