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Lam not concerned over future of Blues

Monday 18th August 2008

Happy: Lam is looking forward to leading the Blues

Pat Lam is confident the Blues will be a force in the 2009 Super 14, that is despite a large-scale player drain and a worrying start to the Air New Zealand Cup by the franchise's three provincial sides.

Auckland, North Harbour and Northland find themselves in the bottom five places of the Air New Zealand Cup table after the opening three rounds.

Further to that, the Blues will be forced down to two provincial sides, with Northland set to be axed and consigned to the Heartland Championship.

Lam, who will take control of the Blues next season, has just two games left at the helm of Auckland before he hands over to Shane Howarth for the remainder of the season.

Already Lam will be without the services of Nick Evans, Troy Flavell, Nick Williams and Isa Nacewa, all of whom have opted to sign contracts overseas.

Despite all of the adversity Lam is confident he will have a squad capable of competing at the top end of the Super 14 table.

"Being in this region for the last five years, working with the academies, I pretty much know the talent that is coming through," Lam told YahooExtra.

"We have seen it with Auckland.

"But we still have a core of experienced guys around, the Woodcocks, the Mealamus, John Afoa and Gus Collins. All of those guys are still around.

"Then you have the exciting ones coming through. And in all three teams there is some really good talent there."

Howarth will take over from Lam before joining up with him at the Blues next season, where he will act as Lam's assistant.

Lam said he was looking forward to his new position, saying it had been a juggling act doing two roles over the past few weeks.

"I will be pretty full on," he said.

"The last couple of months have been pretty chocka doing both jobs.

"Obviously I will be floating around. But like Shane said, I am confident both Shane and Mike Casey can take that ahead.

"I will pop my head around here, likewise at Harbour and likewise at Northland, and hope that all three teams in our franchise do well."