Rugby: Blues still offer stern challenge to rivals

Steven Luatua of the Blues loses the lineout ball during the round one Super Rugby match between the Blues and the Chiefs at QBE Stadium.

The Blues vs the Crusaders rivalry was once the biggest in Super Rugby.

It carried on from the Auckland vs Canterbury tradition in the 80s and 90s, a north vs south divide that occasionally descended into poor taste - some of the signs paraded around the old Lancaster Park with regards to Carlos Spencer, the brilliant Auckland and Blues first-five, were distasteful in the extreme and the details are not fit for repeating.

But, with the Blues having undergone a slump of 12 years without a title does this rivalry still stack up? The Chiefs and latterly the Highlanders have caught the imagination in terms of recent success against the Crusaders, the most successful franchise in the competition with seven titles (the Blues are second equal with three), so how do recent results compare?

Pretty good, actually. Last year is a case in point when the Crusaders shot out to a big lead over the Blues at Eden Park only for the home side to roar back and humiliate the visitors. John Kirwan's men lost the return match in Christchurch 23-3.

Despite the more recent competitiveness of the Chiefs and Highlanders - not to mention the Hurricanes whom the Crusaders are yet to play - the Blues still offer a stern challenge to the red and blacks.

-Blues team to play Crusaders at AMI Stadium on Saturday, kickoff 7.35pm: 15. Lolagi Visinia, 14. Frank Halai, 13. Francis Saili, 12. George Moala, 11. Melani Nanai, 10. Dan Bowden, 9. Jimmy Cowan, 8. Steven Luatua, 7. Brendon O'Connor, 6. Akira Ioane, 5. Hayden Triggs, 4. Josh Bekhuis, 3. Charlie Faumuina, 2. Keven Mealamu (c), 1. Tony Woodcock. Reserves: Matt Moulds, Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Angus Ta'avao, Culum Retallick, Blake Gibson, Jamison Gibson-Park, Ihaia West, Tevita Li.