RECAP: Blues v Lions

READERS' FORUM: Welcome to our coverage of the Super Rugby Round Seven encounter between the Blues and Lions in Auckland.

Even with star recruit Beauden Barrett, who joined the team for training for the first time this week after an extended break, the Blues are fancied to walk away with a full-house of five points.

Blues fans are no closer to knowing when Barrett will actually take the field, with coach Leon MacDonald saying only he was targeting a “mid-April” debut for the high profile recruit from Wellington Hurricanes.

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Teams:

Blues: 15 Stephen Perofeta, 14 Matt Duffie, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Thomas Faiane (captain), 11 Mark Telea, 10 Otere Black, 9 Sam Nock, 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 7 Blake Gibson, 6 Dalton Papalii, 5 Jacob Pierce, 4 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 3 Sione Mafileo, 2 James Parsons, 1 Karl Tu’inukuafe.

Replacements: 16 Luteru Tolai, 17 Joe Walsh, 18 Marcel Renata, 19 Aaron Carroll/Sam Caird, 20 Akira Ioane, 21 Jonathan Ruru, 22 Harry Plummer, 23 Emoni Narawa.

Lions: 15 Tyrone Green, 14 Jamba Ulengo, 13 Manuel Rass 12 Daniel Kriel, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies (captain), 9 Andre Warner, 8 Hacjivah Dayimani, 7 Ruan Vermaak, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Marvin Orie, 4 Willem Alberts, 3 Frans van Wyk, 2 Jan-Henning Campher, 1 Dylan Smith.

Replacements: 16 Pieter Jansen, 17 Sithembiso Sithole, 18 Carlu Sadie 19 Wilhelm van der Sluys, 20 Len Massyn, 21 Morné van den Berg, 22 Shaun Reynolds, 23 Andries Coetzee.

Referee: Marius van der Westhuizen (South Africa)

Assistant referees: Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Ben O’Keeffe (New Zealand)

TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)