WOOP! GO BLUES! SHOUTOUT TO TAMAKI COLLEGE!

@Wales 2001-2002: Exactly, that was a dream team for any coach. Blues 1996, 1997 would have won with no coach with that awesome lineup. They pretty much were the 1995 WC team. A team who made it to the finals and just lost, many say because they were food poisoned. many say that team was the greatest ever all black team assembled. I agree. Poor laurie mains should have been given a second chance. Now in the new millenium, rugby leagues popularity in auckland has skyrocketed. We no longer are the force we once were, with players of all ages flocking to league, mt smart stadiums warriors home games regularly outselling the blues despite the warriors having a worse losing record most years. People watching australian NRL and state of origin now. Aussies. I know people who can name every single player in the eels. panthers, queensland side or NSW but would struggle to name 4 or 5 blues players. It never used to be like this. No other franchise would stand a chance against auckland if leagues popularity here wasn't sapping so much rugby talent.

@Senior: Plenty of fantasy rugby coaches on this website with thier own strategies and methadologies. If I had a dollar for every internet nigel nobody & armchair critic who thought they could coach better than the real deal I would be a very rich man. Even the plant waterer in our office regularly gives his opinions, selections and strategy play by plays on how he thinks we could improve our winning chances. Truth is that any team missing 10 or more of its first pick players is gonna struggle. Last years champion reds team, too many injuries early on and now no chance of making a semi. @cOACH CANT WIN WITH THE ONE EYED CRITICS ..well put. yours is one of many intelligent statements made on this board in my absence.