Payne gain for ABs Ranger

All Black Rene Ranger reckons Northland skipper and Blues teammate Jared Payne is in the running for a black jersey of his own after a stellar start to the Super 15 Competition.
The Northland duo have impressed so far in their 2011 campaign, with both players scoring tries in last weekend's round three 41-32 win over the Lions in Johannesburg.
Payne has arguably been the stand-out centre in the competition to date, while Ranger's speed and try-scoring feats speak for themselves.
Ranger said having Payne in the Blues backline had enabled the Northland players to continue working on combinations and routines established during the 2010 ITM Cup season.
"We read each other's game well I guess. It's good to have him in the team but he still gets annoying," he quipped.
The 24-year-old finisher thought Payne's recent performances put him in contention of securing a spot with the All Blacks.
"He is definitely close to making the ABs ... he is a quality player who reads the game well. He does his homework and is a safe player, who can play centre, fullback or wing ... he has a shot for sure."
The Northland pairing will get another chance to show they mean business on Sunday morning when they go up against a winless Western Force outfit at Perth's Members Equity Bank Stadium.
Ranger was used off the bench as an impact player during the Lions' clash but will start on the left wing along with Payne at centre, on Sunday.
During the lead-up to the Lions clash, assistant Blues coach Bryce Woodward had explained to Ranger he would be starting the game on the bench. "I was actually pretty stoked I was used as an impact player because Stowers [Sherwin] was breathing pretty hard from playing at altitude when he came off and I went on."
The Blues had a little more than two weeks to adjust to the time difference in South Africa, playing the Sharks in round two, followed by the Lions last weekend. However, playing at altitude in Johannesburg hit the team hard, making it difficult to breathe, during training and the match, Ranger said.
While happy with the winning result, Ranger said there were things the team needed to avoid, like playing catch-up rugby.
Ranger felt his own game could also improve.
"I need to work on my decision-making ... there were a couple of things that went wrong, but then with the other two touches of the ball, I got two tries. I was pretty happy with that."
The Blues travelled to Perth early this week with two wins from three games under their belts, and have been preparing for Sunday's match against the Force, who have lost two games and had a round-two bye.
"They will want to win this game ... they are an unpredictable side who can pick themselves up and win or just fall down. It won't be an easy game," Ranger said.
The Blues return to New Zealand to gear up for their home clash with the Hurricanes at Eden Park on March 19.
Three weeks on the road was a long time for Ranger who said he was looking forward to heading back to Northland to hit the beach.
Blues: Isaia Toeava, Joe Rokocoko, Jared Payne, Benson Stanley, Rene Ranger, Luke McAlister, Toby Morland, Chris Lowrey, Daniel Braid, Jerome Kaino, Ali Williams, Anthony Boric, Charlie Faumuina, Keven Mealamu (captain), Tony Woodcock. Reserves: Tom McCartney, John Afoa, Kurtis Haiu, Luke Braid, Alby Mathewson, Stephen Brett, Sherwin Stowers.