Blues want to win back respect

Auckland Blues prop Charlie Faumuina says the Auckland side wants to  win back fans in 2016.

After a three-win season in 2015, Faumuina said the Blues knew they had to improve on the field to attract more spectators.

“I think it’s just to win our fans back, put a bit of respect back into our club, ” he said.

“I think we’ve lost a few of our fans just from our results that we’ve put out there.

“That (fanbase) comes with winning. We want to go out there and put out a performance that we’re proud of and see how we go. “

Faumuina said the Blues were already feeling change under new coach Tana Umaga, who has been particularly influential on the side ‘s young backs.

“I think our forward pack is a pretty experienced forward pack, we’ve got guys who have been around for a while, where we’ve struggled a little bit is our backs, ” he said.

“Tana’s got that inside knowledge of how to prepare for a game, the lines to run to help them out.

“Talking to some of the young guys, they ‘re really enjoying it (his coaching). “

Faumuina said Umaga had set high standards for the squad from day one.

“I think Tana’s someone that expects something and you want it to happen, so it’s been good for us, ” he said.

“We’ve got a pretty young team but they bring a lot of excitement and enthusiasm to our team, so we just make sure we guide them throughout the season.”

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