Monday Blues: The blues are back, baby, and I have good hope

We are hope. We arrived in the sun, with perhaps 20,000 people queuing up, catching our "fish baskets" at $ 14 and screaming for joy as we read Ma's name. Akira Ioane once again roared, leading the team on the field in his 50th match.

We are hope. We have the blues. It will be the year. I have seen people delighted to be back. I saw people huddled in their seats, despair tight in their guts. Most of the time, we were rather chilly. We have the blues. Be good if it happened. I will not let that ruin the barbie if it is not.

In addition, Blues v Crusaders. Come, what sadist thought it was a fair draw to launch the Super Rugby Contest? Chumps v champions. In fact double champions. They have won nine victories in the last 21 years, including the last two, and have been four other finalists.

And yes, the Blues have been the worst team in New Zealand since before Jordan Luck sang for the first time "Why Do Love Do This To Me?" More or less.

Luck wrote this song for the Blues. Well, he might as well have it.

But hey, we do not care. The core of these two teams met in last year's provincial championship final, the Miter 10 Cup, and Auckland defeated Canterbury 40-33 in overtime. Gave them a forehand, finally.

Also, this year's preseason: The Blues have destroyed the Chiefs at Kaikohe and the Hurricanes at Mangatainoka. So, you bet we are optimistic. You sing it on the air of "We are the champions".

The teams are on the ground. Matt Todd, the captain of the crusaders, makes a sharp knee jump, then prowls like an alpha chimp, with folded shoulders and menacing looks. He is so small.

A bloated online authority estimates that the crusaders got 17 more points. In the commentary of Radio Sport, they say: "The Blues would be comfortable if they are able to make their pbades." Set the bar high, why not you?

The crusaders, they say a little later, "seem to be slipping" because they are going faster.

In fact, look at Akira Ioane. Quickly imposing, the one the others follow, grabbed the ball and advance, what can be said about a surprising number of rugby players. Even if, with his beard taking his face, his eyelids drooping, he seems to fall asleep on his feet.

And what about Ma & # 39; a Nou? He pbades harder and faster than everyone else on the park. He runs straight and he has more time to do everything. This is because it is located more at the bottom of the line than the others. He also runs to help rowing more than the other backs.

Very busy, very efficient. He's playing the whole game, which nobody expected because he's 36, which is supposed to be way too old, and he's not trying to win it on his own. There for the team.

The Blues have a penalty, while back Michael Collins probably has the worst moment of his life in rugby and that he drops the ball, so the Crusaders have had a chance to try their luck. After a while they are 12-3 and now it's obvious that the Blues can not do anything to get rid of the defense. The crusaders have about 35 people on the ground, it's a red wall of three depths that stretches out on the line of testing.

At least, the game takes place on the side of the crusaders. The fans are calm, which is really impressive.

Halftime. Happy Chinese New Year! say big screens. A troop of lion dancers come out and do their thing. In the northeastern corner of the stands, children laugh at it, they play at dawn.

When you have the blues, you also have blues jokes.

The Blues are like the sun: they left the stadium and it's only half the time. The Blues are like Eden Park: the stadium we had because we do not care enough to get a better one.

The Blues are like a piece of Eden Park chips. Always cooked to the point of not being good enough.

They are back. Is it when the Crusaders pile up 10 tries? No! The Blues are stronger, they offer great support, inspired pbades and Akira Ioane launches a hard and smart line to finish straight under the posts. He squeezes the ball and stands up, arms outstretched, the hero presented to his supporters as he had just scored for Liverpool and the roar is immense. There is glory in it.

I'm right in front of him. The eyes are not half closed now. He has his head up, his head upright, and he is ready to burst. Thank you and yes please, we definitely need more of that.

Sonny Bill Williams starts at 49 minutes and proceeds to a very calm match. Harry Plummer, the new first five eighth advanced, comes with him and has the opposite. He feeds, pushes and plays exciting rugby, until, by tearing the pitch with the ball, looking left and right to find options, he tilts a bit and falls because, did he forgot to put strands in his boots?

I do not understand that, how to slide on a dry and well maintained ground. But you can. The Crusaders push the score to 24-17 and the Blues heroically narrow the gap to 24-22, then Plummer has two goals on goal. Miss first, but not according to the crowd.

The second is a near coming penalty and the ball drifts into a long and gentle bow, while we wait, getting weak to hold our breath, and in a way, it just manages to miss.

24-22. I do not blame Plummer. Teams win when they take their best options. Teams do not win when the player inside Reiko Ioane runs on an angle, using all the space, then does not bother to pbad, or only pbades when there There is nowhere to go.

Coaches have to cut their hair. Reiko is Akiro's very fast younger brother and is a test machine that beats the world. Reiko Ioane has to pull her hair, although in her case, something like that happens.

What he should do is stand by Ma's side and let no other bader from the team stand between them. Nou knows how to put a runner in space. Far too many insects had been between them Saturday.

On the sound system, they play "Why does not love make me do that". Of course that's what they do. In the stands are a trumpet player, a trombonist and a drummer, a fanfare trying not to look lost.

You also lose matches when you are penalized all the time. The Blues have awarded two penalty tries because they have cynically broken the rules in an attempt to prevent trials. Can you see the problem there, the team?

And even. We are hope. The five New Zealand teams played three games this weekend and no one won or lost more than two points. This means that they are all closed. The Blues are back, baby, and I definitely have hope.

The Blue Mondays of Simon Wilson, a fan following the Blues, will appear throughout the Super Rugby season.