Blues support SBW's Christchurch hiatus
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The Blues will look to claim their first win over fellow New Zealand opposition since round one in 2016 without centre Sonny Bill Williams this weekend as he has travelled to Christchurch to represent his Muslim faith with the blessing of his franchise.
Williams' expressed his sadness at the horrific event last Friday in a video message he posted on a social media and it was agreed by all that Christchurch is where he should be at this time.
The Blues play the Highlanders at Eden Park on Friday but assistant coach Tom Coventry revealed the Blues' team management were set to approach Williams about a trip south anyway.
"We were going to ask Sonny whether he would like to go so we were all in agreement," Coventry said. "It was a pretty short conversation. We all know how hard he took it – it was a pretty simple decision to make.
"Sonny has gone down to aid and support his faith and the people he represents. It also lines up with an All Black break … it's been a torrid old couple of weeks for everyone and we'll just do what we can to put in a performance on the field, and we've trained accordingly – we've been pretty good this week."
"I think it's admirable, really," Coventry said of All Black Williams' trip to Christchurch to support and raise funds following the attacks on the two mosques which have resulted in the deaths of 50 people.
"His faith is strong. He felt for the people of Christchurch and obviously, he had a lot to do with the Crusaders over his long career – he spent a couple of years down there.
"We admire what he's standing for and the fact that he wants to go there and grieve and be part of the support for the region and people of New Zealand. He has our best wishes. It's a sign of Sonny having a real caring side. Rugby is important for everyone but at the end of the day it's just a game and people and our country come first."
And, as New Zealand attempts to come to terms with the shocking events of last week, Coventry suggested sport could play a small part in bringing communities together.
"I'm an ex-school phys-ed teacher so my message to kids would be to get involved in sport," he said. "Sport is a multi-cultural thing in New Zealand. If you look at the Blues, we're made up of a host of nationalities and cultures and we embrace that."
There are only three changes from the team that prevailed over the Sunwolves before the break for the bye, which means the bench will include four All Blacks to add real punch in the second half.
The only change in the pack sees Alex Hodgman return to the loosehead, after missing the Sunwolves game with a minor injury, to partner the strong-scrummaging Sione Mafileo, with Karl Tu’inukuafe to come off the bench.
Loose forward Blake Gibson will captain the side after his impressive season debut against the Sunwolves following injury, while Northland’s Tom Robinson makes his sixth straight start after some outstanding form.
It means All Black Dalton Papalii will add energy from the reserves bench while stand-out No 8 Akira Ioane will make his 23rd straight start and 37th game in a row for the Blues.
Jonathan Ruru, who started in the opening two games, returns at halfback with Augustine Pulu to come off the bench while the only other change will see midfielder Ma’a Nonu to inter-change with Sonny Bill Williams, who has the week off.
The replacements include internationals Ofa Tuungafasi, Tu’inukuafe, Patrick Tuipulotu and Papalii, with Pulu, Otere Black and the bracketed pair of Levi Aumua and Matt Duffie as back reserves.
Quotes via: New Zealand Herald.
