Dalton Papalii of the Blues during their match against the Crusaders at Orangetheory Stadium, Christchurch on 15 April 2022. Photo: Photosport
Blues v Crusaders
Kick-off: 7:05pm Saturday 22 March
Eden Park, Auckland
Live blog updates on RNZ Sport
Dalton Papali'i is as frustrated as anyone about the Blues' shocking start to the season, but the flanker is confident that he knows what the issue is. Vern Cotter's side have dropped four out if the first five games, leading to calls that they haven't evolved enough from their direct style that won the competition last year, however Papali'i said it was more of an individual than team-based problem.
"The moments in games where, you know, we need to execute little basic stuff, we turn the ball over and then we're back on our five metre. So it's just realising that we need to win those moments," he said at Blues training on Tuesday.
"As an individual that we need a win those and then the collective will be fine."
Xavi Taele of the Blues at the Super Rugby Pacific at FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton. Photo: Jeremy Ward / Photosport
The Blues looked set to pull off a big result against the competition-leading Chiefs on Saturday night in Hamilton, only for a late conversion attempt by debutant Xavi Taele that would've given them the lead to clank off the post. Papali'i said that talk of simply getting things right this season makes him "sound like a broken record".
"We just need to go out and execute. People keep saying, you know, we need to win the moment and trust the process, but it will come, and we just got to get it done…you know, the whole goal is to get closer. That's the main thing. We don't care about where we are in the top six because we know how to play footy. But the thing is that we don't look too far ahead, because if you do, you start to panic and start thinking about the future. But the real, the real, job right now is to focus on the present."
That focus now zeroes in on the in form Crusaders, who are coming off two big wins over the Reds and Force. Rob Penney's side scored 98 points in those two games, with their back three combination of Will Jordan, Sevu Reece and Macca Springer bagging an incredible 13 tries between them.
Sevu Reece scores a try during the Crusaders v Force, Super Rugby Pacific match, Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch. Photo: Martin Hunter/ActionPress
"They've got the reputation, and as you can see from their games, the majority of the games it's been tight up in the first half then they've blown away teams in the second half. They're an 80 minute plus team. So you've got to be on the whole time, they've got threats around the whole park," said Papali'i.
Saturday night's match at Eden Park certainly has a different feel to it than the last time the two sides met there. The Blues' 26-6 win in round five last year was seen as just another day on the job against a Crusaders side that was clearly in deep trouble, however things seem to have been flipped on their head this time around.
"It's obviously always a big game, a massive rivalry, possibly the biggest in Super Rugby," said Papali'i.
