Unchanged Blues team set to face Brumbies
Jul 6, 2016 - 1:53 AM The Blues will take an unchanged team into Friday's Super Rugby match against the Brumbies in Auckland if lock Josh Bekhuis and centre Male Sa'u can pass fitness tests.Coach Tana Umaga was impressed enough with his team's 37-27 loss to the Hurricanes last week that he has named the same starting side to face the Australian conference leaders at Eden Park.
The Blues produced one of their best performances of a middling season in Wellington, particularly early on, before suffering a sixth loss which ruled them out of play-off contention.
Bekhuis has been bracketed with Scott Scrafton and Sa'u has been bracketed with Matt Vaega after both players picked up niggles.
Umaga said prop Charlie Faumuina (knee) and centre George Moala (elbow) have both made progress on injuries sustained during the All Blacks' third-Test win over Wales but not enough to be considered.
There are two changes on the reserves bench, where tight forwards Nic Mayhew and Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, replace Namatahi Wa'a and Hoani Matenga respectively.
Blues: Melani Nanai, Matt Duffie, Male Sa'u/Matt Vaega, Piers Francis, Tevita Li, Ihaia West, Bryn Hall, Steven Luatua, Kara Pryor, Jerome Kaino, Josh Bekhuis/Scott Scrafton, Patrick Tuipulotu, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, James Parsons (capt), Sam Prattley. Reserves: Quentin MacDonald, Nic Mayhew, Sione Mafileo, Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, Blake Gibson, Billy Guyton, Vaega/Michael Little, Lolagi Visinia.
Source: AAP
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