Plummer finds his place in the Blues playmaker puzzle

GettyImages 1304321879

So it is no surprise the way coach Leon MacDonald is utilising the respective skills of Otere Black, Stephen Perofeta and Harry Plummer in Super Rugby Aotearoa.

Turnover in the role, as they sought a replacement capable of directing the side in the manner of a Carlos Spencer, became a preoccupation for various Blues coaches but, under MacDonald, things are looking much brighter.

There is also a benefit in All Black Beauden Barrett's absence in Japan during 2021. The trio has the opportunity for more game time and development in the roles they have.

Helping that process is the versatility shown by the trio.

Black, with the responsibility at first five-eighths, has grown with each game.

Perofeta is a more than useful performer at fullback, while Plummer has developed his game at second five-eighths.

It is something with which Plummer was comfortable. Having been selected by the Blues as a first, or second, five-eighths was something a lot of people hadn't realised.

"I had played quite a lot of representative rugby, and NZ Schools, at second five-eighths, so I've played a bit there and talking to the coaches they've seen a rise in my game at 12," he said.

That's not surprising given Tana Umaga's role as an assistant coach. But he also benefited from having Sonny Bill Williams, Ma'a Nonu and TJ Faiane on hand to offer advice. Building on that was a case of getting more game time and training in the position.

Umaga, especially, had been keen on him showing his skillset.

"I think something I fell into early on was thinking that people thought I wanted to be a ball-running, crash-ball Ma'a, Sonny sort of person, but that's not my game. It's about being able to adapt. I'm picked for a reason and, [it's a case of] backing the skills I've been picked for.

"We've got a nice flow of dual/triple playmaker set-up at the moment. My role is to be able to put guys like Reiko [Ioane], Mark [Telea] and Caleb [Clarke] into spaces," he said.

At the same time, Plummer has enjoyed watching Black's advance in performance with the Blues. He had always been a good player, he said but had been hampered by injuries for a period. But he had been in good form over the last 18 months and showed what a smart player he was.

"He's got a very high IQ with how he plays, and I think a lot of people recognise that opposition as well, so he runs the team really well with how he speaks and how he plays.

"I think that's something Stevie and I have drawn off that he is obviously the experienced one and we have learnt a lot from him through the IQ of the game," he said.

One area that hasn't advanced as much as might have been the case under different circumstances is his goal-kicking. Playing for Auckland in Mitre 10 Cup, he was used to the role but, with Black having most of the kicking opportunities for the Blues, Plummer was left with goal attempts outside Black's range or as a substitute later in games.

That required a targeted mindset to adapt quickly to goal-kicking chances.

"It's probably just getting a flow of being able to be comfortable in the long-range shots and following the same process. I've come a long way in my goal-kicking, and I got some pay-out of that last year in Mitre 10. Coming into this season. I've been hitting it well.

"I'm happy with where it is at the moment, and if I get to start, and I get that opportunity to kick for distance or kick for goal, then I'll take that with both hands. I'm a confidence player, and I like to back myself in all aspects of goal-kicking.

"That's just how it's fallen that I've got a bit more range than Otsy [Black] and he is a sharpshooter from close-in. The dynamic is working quite well at the moment," he said.

Preparing for the Highlanders has been helped by their effort to come back to beat the Chiefs last weekend.

"Anyone who thinks they were down and out after the first half was wrong. They're a team that stays with you and something we've talked about during the week is that they'll never go away, regardless of the score."

The Blues were keen to advance on their opening win over the Hurricanes and were excited to be back at Eden Park.

He said the prospective disruption of Auckland being placed in Level 3 lockdown, requiring the Blues to base themselves in Cambridge, in Chiefs' territory, was minimised by the way everyone had rallied around. Being a bye week had been fortunate.

Players were given training schedules and had the freedom to pursue their programmes once they had their Covid tests back.

Being prepared for such an eventuality had been part of their pre-season build-up. It had been frustrating to be caught out on an away game resulting in partners having to pack bags for their stay away and drop them off for the Blues management to transport.

"Everyone was prepared for it, and it ran pretty smoothly in the end," he said.

LATEST NEWS

View all