Blues head coach Pat Lam and assistant coaches Shane Howarth and Liam Barry unveiled their squad for the 2010 Super 14 at a national squad launch in Auckland this morning.
Without the distractions of having to coach the Auckland Air New Zealand Cup team, Lam and Howarth have benefited from an extensive planning period to fully prepare themselves for their second season in charge and have recruited a number of exciting new talents to the franchise.
Fresh from leading Canterbury to victory in the Air New Zealand Cup final last week, draft pickup and first five-eighth Stephen Brett is an invaluable addition to the 2010 Blues squad and will provide the key spark to ignite a potent Blues backline.
Daniel Kirkpatrick will continue his partnership with fellow Wellington player Alby Mathewson after the promising first five-eighth was also selected by the Blues in the draft, while flanker Serge Lilo completes a trio of Lions players moving north to join Pat Lam’s squad.
"I’m very pleased with our selections," Lam said.
"We’ve got a good balance right across the field. The key thing for us is the acquisition of Alby Mathewson, Stephen Brett and Daniel Kirkpatrick - players who can certainly navigate us around the field very well," he said.
"Serge Lilo also provides a massive boost for us in the loose forwards. He’s a player on top of his game and is a fierce competitor at the breakdown.
"We’ve got a well balanced forward pack with some good All Blacks and there’s plenty of X factor out wide. There’s a good mix of experience and youth and all in all we’re very pleased with the side we’ve selected."
North Harbour number eight Viliame Ma’afu has been rewarded for an impressive provincial season with selection in the 28-man squad while youngsters Tom Chamberlain and Peter Saili have been promoted from the Wider Training Group to the full squad after playing numerous games for the Blues this year.
The Blues also have the unique benefit of having almost all of their experienced All Blacks rested from the end-of-season tour to Europe.
Rudi Wulf, Keven Mealamu, Isaia Toeava, Joe Rokocoko, Ali Williams, Anthony Tuitavake, Anthony Boric and returning midfield star Luke McAlister have all had time to refresh or recover from injuries and will be raring to go in 2010.
"Obviously it was disappointing for them all to miss the All Blacks tour through injury or selection but they are key guys for us and to have them starting the campaign with us from day one of our pre-season gives us a massive boost," Lam said.
Highly respected captain and the Blues’ most capped current player, Keven Mealamu will once again don the captain’s armband and inspire his team to success in 2010 where he will be joined by lock Ali Williams who assumes the role of vice captain.
"Kevvie is a natural leader. He commands the utmost respect from everyone and he leads by his actions both on and off the field and particularly on the training paddock," Lam said.
"Ali Williams has plenty of leadership qualities and I know he will certainly be assisting Kevvie in helping run the team. The fact that both of them will be here from day one is a huge benefit and when Ali plays well the team plays well so certainly he’ll be looking to lead from the front."
The 2010 Blues squad is:
John Afoa (Auckland)
Anthony Boric (North Harbour)
Stephen Brett (Canterbury)
Tom Chamberlain (North Harbour)
Charlie Faumuina (Auckland)
Kurtis Haiu (Auckland)
Jerome Kaino (Auckland)
Daniel Kirkpatrick (Wellington)
Serge Lilo (Wellington)
Chris Lowrey (Auckland)
Tevita Mailau (Auckland)
Viliame Ma’afu (North Harbour)
Luke McAlister (North Harbour)
Tom McCartney (Auckland)
Alby Mathewson (Wellington)
Keven Mealamu (Auckland)
George Pisi (North Harbour)
Rene Ranger (Northland)
Joe Rokocoko (Auckland)
Peter Saili (Auckland)
Chris Smylie (North Harbour)
Benson Stanley (Auckland)
Isaia Toeava (Auckland)
Anthony Tuitavake (North Harbour)
Ali Williams (Auckland)
Paul Williams (Auckland)
Tony Woodcock (North Harbour)
Rudi Wulf (North Harbour)
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