Michael Maguire is trying to cultivate a next-man-up ethos for the Blues. He’ll have to start straight away.
Hunter Paisami’s dissection of the Highlanders defence has taken him step closer to a Wallabies’ return,and an All Blacks battle could secure his revival.
The Waratahs have lost by two points for the second week in a row to New Zealand opposition,this time the Blues in Sydney.
James Tedesco has long had a mortgage on the Blues’ No.1 jumper,but a tweak to the North Queensland attack could unpick that lock.
Cameron Murray has given the Roosters skipper his full support,while Dylan Edwards isn’t even thinking about succeeding him.
The Waratahs were unable to extend Michael Hooper’s NSW career by a few more weeks after losing to the Blues at Eden Park.
Queensland forward Jai Arrow is in extreme doubt for game two of State of Origin after injuring his ankle while NSW’s Cameron Murray limped off with a groin injury on Saturday night.
All Blacks star Beauden Barrett spun a web around the Queensland Reds before limping off as the Blues inflicted a 19-point win in Brad Thorn’s last game as coach at Suncorp Stadium.
Waratahs coach Darren Coleman hopes Saturday’s defeat is the worst of it,expecting his cavalry to return and with it some momentum in a six-week run into the finals.
The Waratahs and Force will be fresh and up for the fight in their round eight clash in Sydney. But injury continues to haunt the NSW back line.
The Western Force’s struggles in New Zealand have continued with a 30-17 loss to the highly professional Blues.