Blues v Lions Super Rugby Preview

Out of the last five Super Rugby matches between the Blues and the Lions the Auckland based Blues have won four and lost one match.

Overall the Blues have played the Lions 16 times since 1998 and the Blues have won 12 matches and lost 4 matches.

This gives the Blues a record of winning 75% of their matches against the Lions regardless of venue.

The average score when the Blues play the Lions across all venues is : Blues 34 Lions 20.

This weekend the Blues will have home advantage as the match will be played in North Harbour stadium which is 20 minutes north of Auckland.

The Blues have had home advantage over the Lions on 7 of the 16 occasions that the teams have met. In those seven matches the Blues have won 6 and the Lions have won once.

This gives the Blues a record of winning 86% of their home matches against the Lions and the average score when the teams meet on New Zealand soil is : Blues 29 Lions 12.

The Blues have only played the Lions once in Albany and that match was won 23-6 by the Blues in 2005.

The Lions one victory over the Blues in New Zealand was in 2001 when the Lions reached the Semi-finals and was 14 years ago. The Lions have lost their last five matches against the Blues on New Zealand soil.

The Lions are on the bottom of the Super Rugby standings and directly above them are the Blues. Both teams have played three matches and lost all three. Two out of the Blues matches were away from home while the Lions have already lost two matches at home.

The Lions last victory on New Zealand soil was in 2011 as they have lost their last five matches there. For this week the Lions have made two changes. In the forwards, Corne Fourie will make his first start at loosehead this season while, in the backline, Ross Cronje will start at scrumhalf.

The Blues have changed almost half of their team for this week but most notably Keven Mealamu comes into to start his first match in 2015 and to become the most capped Super Rugby player in history. His milestone has the potential to spur the Blues on.

The Bookies have given the Lions a 12 point start for this Match – with an offer of a FREE $150 BET. The Blues have had more time to travel to New Zealand they were unlucky to lose last week. The Blues should win this by 9.

This Match will be shown on TV in NZ, Aus, SA and in the UK on Sky Sports 3/HD.

Average score: Blues 34 Lions 20

Last five results
15 Mar 2014 Blues v Lions 36-39 Johannesburg
11 May 2012 Blues v Lions 25-3 Auckland
04 Mar 2011 Blues v Lions 41-32 Johannesburg
08 May 2010 Blues v Lions 56-14 Johannesburg
10 Apr 2009 Blues v Lions 36-12 Auckland

Blues overall record against the Lions
Played 16, Wins 12 , Losses 4 , Draws 0

Match No.24: Blues v Lions
Date : Saturday 7 March 2015
Venue : Stadium, Auckland (North Harbour)
Kick Off local: 19:35 local, 17:35 AEDT, 08:35 SAST
Referee: Matt O’Brien
Assistant Ref 1:Ben O’Keeffe
Assistant Ref 2:Brendon Pickerill
TMO :Glen Newman

Teams

Blues

1.Ofa Tu’ungafasi , 2. Keven Mealamu ,3. Charlie Faumuina , 4. Josh Bekhuis , 5. Patrick Tuipulotu , 6. Steven Luatua , 7. Luke Braid , 8. Jerome Kaino , 9. Jimmy Cowan , 10.Ihaia West , 11.Melani Nanai , 12.Francis Saili , 13.Charles Piutau , 14.Frank Halai , 15. Lolagi Visinia

Replacements : 16. James Parsons , 17. Sam Prattley , 18. Angus Ta’avao , 19. Hayden Triggs , 20. Brendon O’Connor , 21. Jamison Gibson-Park , 22. Simon Hickey , 23. Hamish Northcott

Lions

15. Andries Coetzee , 14. Ruan Combrinck , 13. Lionel Mapoe , 12. Harold Vorster , 11. Sampie Mastriet , 10. Elton Jantjies , 9. Ross Cronje , 8. Warren Whiteley (c) , 7. Warwick Tecklenburg , 6. Jaco Kriel , 5. Martin Muller , 4. Franco Mostert , 3. Julian Redelinghuys , 2. Robbie Coetzee , 1. Corne Fourie

Replacements : 16. Armand van der Merwe , 17. Jacques van Rooyen , 18. Ruan Dreyer , 19. Robert Kruger , 20. Derick Minnie , 21. Faf de Klerk , 22. Jaco van der Walt , 23. Howard Mnisi