Blues Super Rugby training sinks to new low

The Blues preparations for the 2015 Super Rugby season hit a new kind of low on Friday when their canoes were swamped by choppy seas and sank.

Twenty-eight Blues players had to be rescued in Auckland’s Hauraki Gulf when the training move went wrong for the Auckland based Super Rugby side.

The players were supposed to paddle from Takapuna Beach to Rangitoto Island using traditional Maori canoes which are known as Waka and then the player were to run up to the top of the Island’s volcano which is now dormant.

However things did not go to plan as several of the players canoes got swamped by choppy seas.

The Blues revealed what went wrong through their Twitter account.

“The team’s Rangitoto paddle and run ended up with three submerged Waka and an immediate response from nearby craft. Everybody is safe and the team are in high spirits,” said the Blues on Twitter.

“Procedures were put in place to look after the team, special thanks to Harbourmaster, the police and coastguard for their assistance and for responding so promptly and efficiently!,”

“Not the most successful of trainings, but our team are safe and sound on dry land.”

The Auckland Blues start their Super Rugby season on the 14th of February in North Harbour where they will host the Chiefs.