The Waratahs must now pick themselves up in preparation for Friday’s quarterfinal matchup at Eden Park against the Blues. Following is the Super Rugby Pacific quarter-final draw after the final round of the regular season concluded on Saturday:
Here’s how to watch the 2023 Blues vs NSW Waratahs broadcast on thedailyrugby.com.
Super Rugby quarterfinals
Friday, June 9
Eden Park, Auckland (kickoff 7.35 pm local, 0735 GMT)
Auckland Blues vs New South Wales Waratahs | Blues vs NSW Waratahs
Prior to the Super Rugby Pacific quarterfinals, the Blues were dealt a severe blow when it became known that Patrick Tuipulotu would miss the remainder of the competition due to a fractured arm.
At Eden Park on Friday, the Blues defeated the Highlanders 16-9 before the All Blacks second row suffered an injury.
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The 30-year-old participated in all 80 minutes of the game and scored the game’s only try, although he was later placed in a cast.
On Friday, the Waratahs will visit the Auckland team at Eden Park for the first Super Rugby Pacific quarterfinal.
Tuipulotu’s injury was confirmed by Blues head coach Leon MacDonald on Monday, and he estimated a six-week recovery time.
According to MacDonald, “It’s brutally demoralizing [for him].”
He missed last year because he was in Japan, and he was quite eager to wear a Blues jersey this time around.
He is a crucial member of our team, and I thought he was really starting to find his stride with his form and leadership.
Coach of the NSW Waratahs Darren Coleman called the team’s performance “shit” and said he was “embarrassed” by the club’s sluggish 33-24 loss to Moana Pasifika on Saturday.
It was difficult to witness for the 19,219 spectators who had traveled to Allianz Stadium for Michael Hooper’s final game in Sydney because it was Moana’s lone victory of the Super Rugby Pacific season. Super Rugby quarter finals 2023 fixtures
The ACT Brumbies and Queensland Reds also qualified for the quarter-finals with the Western Force and Melbourne Rebels missing out.
SUPER RUGBY PACIFIC QUARTER-FINALS
Friday 5.35pm AEST: Blues (3) vs Waratahs (6) in Auckland
Saturday 2.35pm AEST: Chiefs (1) vs Reds (8) in Hamilton
Saturday 5.05pm AEST: Crusaders (2) vs Drua (7) in Christchurch
Saturday 7.35pm AEST: Brumbies (4) vs Hurricanes (5) in Canberra
‘Hungry’ Blues prepare for a semifinal matchup with NSW Waratahs
The team had faith that they might generate greater unity and discipline while playing the NSW Waratahs in the DHL Super Rugby Pacific’s first quarterfinal on Friday in Auckland because of a hunger for victory that wasn’t always present with Blues teams from the previous ten years.
Coach Leon MacDonald stated that as the Blues prepared for their quarterfinal, the game served as a reminder of the need of maintaining discipline.
The Highlanders managed to stay in the game despite not having enough possession to concern the Blues, and the Blues’ errors and infractions made it easier for them, showing the repercussions of failing on that front.
The Highlanders’ desire to play uglily and avoid the 60-point beating they received in the first round of play infuriated the Blues, and the third-quarter scrum fest that followed sapped the sting and shape from their performance.
“We ended up stumbling home,” one of our guys said. “Our guys looked frustrated and probably started to lose patience on attack.”
He claimed that while a victory was a victory, the most crucial factor was that they had achieved during a season of the year when victory was everything.
The first period demonstrated the Blues’ potential.