Rugby: Blues will stick fast as 'team'

Among the range of theories about the Blues' dysfunction, coach Pat Lam probably nailed a significant reason for their malaise. He fronted yesterday for his usual start of the week chat, delivering mostly careful answers although he did reveal the disharmony he felt was blunting their progress. It was nothing like the rancour which ruined campaigns for previous Blues coaches such as Jed Rowlands, Gordon Hunter and David Nucifora. However, Lam said the Blues squad was still not on the same wavelength about the style the coach wanted to bring to his game plans. Lam was asked why, in the wake of five losses in six outings, he didn't allow his All Black-laden squad to abandon their drawing board plans in favour of a laissez-faire style. "It is about being together on the same sheet," Lam responded. "That's important because that's what effectively has cost us at different times, when someone is thinking one thing and another is doing something else. "So it doesn't matter how good you are if you are not a team. That's where we have to keep coming together as a team." Lam said he and the players had been inundated with suggestions to aid the Blues' recovery. There had been a great deal of gloom and negativity about their results, but he acknowledged they had brought that on themselves. The solution was to distil what they needed to do, get even tighter and work in a singular direction towards this week's Black Friday meeting with the Sharks at Eden Park. If the Blues listened and absorbed too much external advice, their confidence would sag even further so they had to agree on and deliver a unified approach. Lam gave away little about his next selections although the appearance of first five-eighths Gareth Anscombe to chat to the media suggests he will be given another run. The coach said he was waiting for medical reports on a number of others such as captain Keven Mealamu (calf), Tony Woodcock (achilles), Brad Mika (knee) and Benson Stanley (calf) who were hurt last round against the Rebels. Wing David Raikuna was not ready but Daniel and Luke Braid were available and likely starters after illness and suspension and the Saili brothers were available after an internal ban for indiscipline. Lam accepted there was a continuing lack of team unity and backline cohesion. "It normally happens when you are down on confidence and it's an area we talked about with the players and coaches," he said. His own future was not important, he said. He was concentrating on doing his best and had no intention of stepping down from his job because of the court of public opinion. His retention was a matter for his employers. The Sharks have won their last seven games against the Blues, but like their hosts have had some ragged results this season with three wins and four defeats. "Right through the competition, teams that are expected to win, aren't," Lam said. The Sharks dominated possession against the Hurricanes, but came out on the wrong side of the results chart. "Momentum is a big thing and confidence, and some teams have got it and some haven't and we are one of those who haven't at the moment and we just have to keep working to get it," Lam said.