{"id":9880,"date":"2013-06-11T09:58:33","date_gmt":"2013-06-10T21:58:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/rugbyredefined.com\/?p=9880"},"modified":"2013-06-11T09:58:33","modified_gmt":"2013-06-10T21:58:33","slug":"mid-week-gives-blues-a-test-run","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rugbyredefined.com\/wp\/uncategorized\/2013\/06\/mid-week-gives-blues-a-test-run\/","title":{"rendered":"Mid-week gives Blues a test run"},"content":{"rendered":"

Follow @RedefinedRugby<\/a><\/p>\n

For Sir John Kirwan, mid-week matches against international sides are the heart and soul of the game and his Blues team get a chance to make names for themselves against France tonight at North Harbour Stadium.<\/p>\n

“I’m expecting our guys to get out there and really take an opportunity,” Kirwan said. “The All Blacks playing Munster, the Lions playing the Force and the Reds and now the French playing the Blues. I think it’s where rugby needs to go forward. Get back to some mid-week games. It’s good for our guys and it’s good for their fringe guys who might not get a test match.”<\/p>\n

With Super Rugby on hold for the June internationals, Kirwan had organised a match against the Hurricanes, but quickly cancelled it when he received a better offer.<\/p>\n

Only Maxime Medard will back up from the French side which started in Saturday’s test. Medard started on the left wing in that match and has been named at fullback tonight. An ankle injury ruled flanker Fulgence Ouedraogo out of the tour. Yannick Nyanga will start.<\/p>\n

\"fra1\"<\/a><\/strong>\"blues2013\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Blues v France<\/strong>
\nNorth Harbour Stadium, 7.05 tonight<\/p>\n

Blues:<\/strong>
\n15 Marty McKenzie, 14 Frank Halai, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Jackson Willison, 11 George Moala, 10 Baden Kerr, 9 J Gibson-Park, 8 Peter Saili, 7 Brendon O’Connor, 6 Kane Barrett, 5 Culum Retallick, 4 Anthony Boric, 3 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 2 James Parsons (c), 1 Sam Prattley.16 Quentin MacDonald, 17 Angus Ta’avao, 18 Liaki Moli, 19 Ronald Raaymakers, 20 Sean Polwart, 21 Chris Noakes, 22 Tevita Li, 23 Wayne Ngaluafe.<\/p>\n

France:<\/strong>
\n15 Maxime Medard, 14 Noa Nakaitaci, 13 Gael Fickou, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Marc Andreu, 10 Remi Tales, 9 Jean M Doussain, 8 Antonie Claassen, 7 Bernard le Roux, 6 Yannick Nyanga, 5 A Flanquart, 4 C Samson, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 Guilhem Guirado, 1 Eddy Ben Arous. 16 Benjamin Kayser, 17 Vincent Debaty, 18 Daniel Kotze, 19 Sebastien Vahaamahina, 20 Damien Chouly, 21 Frederic Michalak, 22 Camille Lopez, 23 Brice Dulin.<\/p>\n

\"ps5\"<\/a><\/p>\n

10% Discount at PlayersRugby , off the Normal RRP<\/strong>
\nby entering the code \u201crugbyredefined<\/em>\u201c<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Follow @RedefinedRugby For Sir John Kirwan, mid-week matches against international sides are the heart and soul of the game and his Blues team get a chance to make names for themselves against France tonight at North Harbour Stadium. “I’m expecting our guys to get out there and really take an opportunity,” Kirwan said. “The All…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[3881],"class_list":["post-9880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-sports"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9yf19-2zm","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":12313,"url":"https:\/\/rugbyredefined.com\/wp\/uncategorized\/2013\/10\/nonu-has-signed-with-blues-hansen\/","url_meta":{"origin":9880,"position":0},"title":"Nonu has signed with Blues – Hansen","author":"RugbyRedefined","date":"October 21, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"Follow @RedefinedRugby All Black Ma\u2019a Nonu The Blues have signed All Black second-five Ma'a Nonu for the 2014 Super Rugby season. 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Nonu re-signs with New Zealand Rugby and Blues New Zealand Rugby (NZR) and the Blues franchise have confirmed that All Blacks midfielder Ma'a Nonu has signed with NZR and the Blues for 2014 and 2015. 31-year-old Nonu, who\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"All Blacks\"","block_context":{"text":"All Blacks","link":"https:\/\/rugbyredefined.com\/wp\/tag\/all-blacks\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"nz_blues2","src":"https:\/\/rugbyredefined.files.wordpress.com\/2013\/10\/nz_blues2.jpg?w=350&h=200&crop=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/rugbyredefined.files.wordpress.com\/2013\/10\/nz_blues2.jpg?w=350&h=200&crop=1 1x, https:\/\/rugbyredefined.files.wordpress.com\/2013\/10\/nz_blues2.jpg?w=525&h=300&crop=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2887,"url":"https:\/\/rugbyredefined.com\/wp\/uncategorized\/2012\/07\/blues-boost-stocks-at-first-five-with-chris-noakes\/","url_meta":{"origin":9880,"position":2},"title":"Blues boost stocks at first five with Chris Noakes","author":"RugbyRedefined","date":"July 26, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"26\/07\/2012 Photosport HEADING HOME: The Blues have signed Highlanders first five-eighth Chris Noakes for next season The Blues have signed Highlanders first five-eighth Chris Noakes for next season as well as three younger players who made a big impression this season. 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