2013 Blues season
Team information
CoachNew Zealand Sir John Kirwan
Captain
StadiumEden Park, North Harbour Stadium
Avg. attendance19,661
High attendance31,014
Low attendance10,811
Top scorers
TriesFrank Halai (5)
PointsChris Noakes (26)
< 2012 List of seasons

The 2013 Blues season was the team's 18th season in the Super Rugby competition. The Blues' pre-season began on 2 February, and the regular season began on 23 February. The team played 16 regular season matches, with byes in rounds 5 and 10. They did not play in rounds 1 and 17, which was only contested by Australian teams as a result of the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia. The Blues played all teams within the New Zealand conference twice, and all other teams once, with the exception of the Western Force and Southern Kings. The 2013 team was captained by Ali Williams and coached by Sir John Kirwan.

Pre-season

The first of three pre-season fixtures was on 2 February against the Queensland Reds in Toowoomba. This was followed by a home match against the New South Wales Waratahs at Toll Stadium on 9 February and a final match on 15 February against the Highlanders at Queenstown Events Centre.

Fixtures

2 Feb. 2013 Queensland Reds 41 - 35 Blues Clive Berghofer Stadium, Toowoomba  
Attendance: 7,000[1]
9 Feb. 2013 Blues 40 - 36 New South Wales Waratahs Toll Stadium, Whangarei  
Attendance: 6,000 [2]
15 Feb. 2013 Highlanders 29 - 31 Blues Queenstown Events Centre, Queenstown  
Attendance: 4,000 [3]

Regular season

The Blues regular season will begin on 23 February with an away fixture against the Hurricanes, and will finish on 13 July, with a home fixture against the Chiefs.

Fixtures

23 Feb. 2013 Hurricanes 20 - 34 Blues Westpac Stadium, Wellington  
Report Attendance: 10,662
Referee: Glen Jackson
1 March 2013 Blues 34 - 15 Crusaders Eden Park, Auckland  
Report Attendance: 31,014
Referee: Chris Pollock
10 March 2013 Blues 21 - 28 Bulls Eden Park, Auckland  
Report Attendance: 25,112
Referee: Garratt Williamson
24 March 2013 New South Wales Waratahs 30 - 27 Blues Allianz Stadium, Sydney  
Report Attendance: 16,429
Referee: Francisco Pastrana
30 March 2013 Chiefs 23 - 16 Blues Baypark Stadium, Mount Maunganui  
Report Attendance: 15,203
Referee: Jonathan Kaplan
5 April 2013 Blues 29 - 18 Highlanders Eden Park, Auckland  
Report Attendance: 16,489
Referee: Steve Walsh
13 April 2013 Blues 28 - 6 Hurricanes Eden Park, Auckland  
Report Attendance: 23,387
Referee: Jaco Peyper
26 April 2013 Queensland Reds 12 - 11 Blues Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane  
Report Attendance: 31,050
Referee: Craig Joubert
3 May 2013 Blues 18 - 17 Stormers North Harbour Stadium, Auckland  
Report Attendance: 16,111
Referee: Glen Jackson
11 May 2013 Blues 36 - 32 Melbourne Rebels Eden Park, Auckland  
Report Attendance: 14,700
Referee: Garratt Williamson
18 May 2013 Crusaders 23 - 3 Blues Christchurch Stadium, Christchurch  
Report Attendance: 17,264
Referee: Glen Jackson
25 May 2013 Blues 13 - 20 Brumbies Eden Park, Auckland  
Report Attendance: 10,811
Referee: Lourens van der Merwe
1 June 2013 Highlanders 38 – 28 Blues Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin  
Report Attendance: 12,888
29 June 2013 Sharks 22 - 20 Blues Mr Price Kings Park, Durban  
Report Referee: Jaco Peyper
6 July 2013 Cheetahs 34 - 13 Blues Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein  
Report Referee: Jaco Peyper
13 July 2013 Blues 16 - 26 Chiefs Eden Park, Auckland  
Report Attendance: 25,118
Referee: Chris Pollock

Tour Matches

On 4 April it was announced that the Blues would play a one-off match against France as a midweek fixture during their tour of New Zealand in June.[4] The match was held on 11 June at North Harbour Stadium and was the first time a New Zealand-based Super Rugby team has played against an international side.

11 June 2013 Blues 15 - 38  France North Harbour Stadium, Auckland  
Blues Report
NZ Herald Report		 Attendance: 10,071
Referee: Jaco Peyper

Player Summary

Player statistics through round five of the 2013 Super Rugby season are shown below:[5]

Overall Summary

Cap # Player Position(s) Apps. Tries Cons. Pens. Drps. Pts. W.C. Y.C. R.C.
74New Zealand Keven MealamuHooker000000---
93New Zealand Ali Williams (c)Lock500000---
137New Zealand Anthony BoricLock200000---
149New Zealand Tom McCartneyHooker500000---
154New Zealand Rene RangerWing, Centre5200010---
159New Zealand Peter SailiFlanker, No. 8400000---
165New Zealand Charlie FaumuinaProp400000---
180New Zealand Luke BraidFlanker510005---
186New Zealand Piri WeepuHalf-back, First five-eighth5035021---
188New Zealand Angus Ta'avaoProp500000---
192New Zealand Francis SailiWing, Centre500000---
193New Zealand Liaki MoliLock200000---
195Tonga George MoalaWing4200010---
196New Zealand James ParsonsHooker510005---
197New Zealand Steve LuatuaLock, Flanker510005---
199New Zealand Charles PiutauWing, Fullback5300015---
200New Zealand Albert NikoroWing, Fullback100000---
201New Zealand Frank HalaiWing5400020-1-
202New Zealand Chris NoakesFirst five-eighth4135026---
203New Zealand Culum RetallickLock200000---
204New Zealand Brendon O'ConnorFlanker500000---
205New Zealand Bryn HallHalfback101002---
206New Zealand Quentin MacDonaldHooker300000---
207New Zealand Baden KerrFirst five-eighth3113013---
208New Zealand Jackson WillisonSecond five-eighth, Centre300000---
209New Zealand Kane BarrettLock, Flanker100000---
210New Zealand Waisake NaholoWing100000---
211New Zealand Tim PerryProp100000---
212New Zealand Ronald RaaymakersLock, Flanker100000---
213New Zealand Jamison Gibson-ParkHalfback300000---
214New Zealand Marty McKenzieUtility Back100000---
N/ANew Zealand Malakai FekitoaSecond five-eighth, Centre000000---
N/ANew Zealand Ofa Tu'ungafasiProp000000---

Legend: Apps. = Appearances, Cons. = Conversions, Pens. = Penalties, Drps. = Drop Goals, Pts. = Total points, W.C. = White cards, Y.C. = Yellow cards, R.C. = Red cards

Top Point Scorers

Rank Player Points
1New Zealand Chris Noakes26
2New Zealand Piri Weepu21
3New Zealand Frank Halai20
4New Zealand Charles Piutau15
5New Zealand Baden Kerr13

Top Try Scorers

Rank Player Tries
1New Zealand Frank Halai4
2New Zealand Charles Piutau3
3=New Zealand Rene Ranger2
3=Tonga George Moala2
5=Five players1

Standings

The standings through the final round of the 2013 season are shown below:

New Zealand Conference
Pos Team Rnd W D L Bye PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
1New Zealand Chiefs1812042458364+9450388266
2New Zealand Crusaders1811052446307+13944315360
3New Zealand Blues1860102347364−1740366644
4New Zealand Hurricanes1860102386457−7141494541
5New Zealand Highlanders1830132374496−12240554529
Overall Standings
Pos Team Rnd W D L Bye PF PA PD TF TA TB LB Pts
1New Zealand Chiefs1812042458364+9450388266
2South Africa Bulls1812042448330+11841345263
3Australia Brumbies1810242430295+13543315360
4New Zealand Crusaders1811052446307+13944315360
5Australia Reds1810242321296+2531234258
6South Africa Cheetahs1810062382358+2438322454
7South Africa Stormers189072346292+5430181550
8South Africa Sharks188082384305+7940313548
9Australia Waratahs188082411371+4045341445
10New Zealand Blues1860102347364−1740366644
11New Zealand Hurricanes1860102386457−7141494541
12Australia Rebels1850112382515−13344654537
13Australia Force1841112267366−9926340531
14New Zealand Highlanders1830132374496−12240554529
15South Africa Southern Kings1831122298564−26627692024
Conference leaders, qualify to finals.
Wildcard teams, qualify to finals.

Source: sanzarrugby.com Legend: Pos = Position, Rnd = Round, W = Win, D = Draw, L = Loss, PF = Points For, PA = Points Against, PD = Points Difference, TB = Four-try bonus points, LB = Close loss bonus points, Pts = Competition Points

Round by Round Result Summary

Round 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Ground - A H H - A A H H - A H H A H A - A A H
Result N/A W W L B L L W W B L W W L L L N/A L L L
Pos (Conf) N/A 1 2 2 2 3 4 3 2 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3
Pos (Overall) N/A 2 4 6 4 6 9 7 5 2 5 5 5 6 7 7 8 8 9 10

Legend: H = Home, A = Away, W = Win, D = Draw, L = Loss, B = Bye, Pos = Position, Conf = Conference

See also

2013 Super Rugby season

References

  1. ↑ Super rugby draws crowd The Chronicle
  2. ↑ "Rugby: Blues snatch last gasp victory".
  3. ↑ "Lethargic Highlanders struggle to get going". 15 February 2013.
  4. ↑ "Blues to play france". New Zealand Herald. 4 April 2013. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
  5. ↑ "Super Rugby Auckland Blues Team". FOX SPORTS. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
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