Changes unlikely for Blues challenge

As victories go, the Blues solitary Super 14 win against the Reds could not have been closer but the result is likely to mean selection amnesty for Saturday's next duel with the Crusaders.

Had the Blues remained winless after three rounds, it would have been a battle for new coach David Nucifora to justify retaining the same team.

However, the narrow 21-20 victory against the Reds will probably persuade Nucifora to announce an unchanged side today for the trip to Christchurch. He did not have too many options.

Angus MacDonald's recovery from a hamstring strain would have challenged the thinking about the loose forward formation and there would have been further debate about the inside back pairing of Steve Devine and Tasesa Lavea.

Suggestions about switching the versatile Isa Nacewa to replace Lavea at first five-eighths would have reintroduced Brent Ward at fullback and boosted the goalkicking. But it would have been risky trying Nacewa in such a huge match on the strength of some part-time NPC work and a trial game against the Force.

On balance, the selectors probably feel they must persevere with Lavea, especially against such an opposing talent as Daniel Carter.

Lavea may not yet have found the right attacking tempo for his backline but he has soaked up the experience of three games and is building the defence and combinations.

The selectors will not want to meddle with Lavea's confidence especially with alternative five-eighths Luke McAlister on the injured roster. Similar reasoning should have halfback Devine starting the match and John Senio to come off the bench.

All Black loose forward Macdonald could return to No 8 where he was picked to start the season, go to blindside where he played on the Grand Slam tour or used at openside to counter some of the Crusaders bulk. The strongest money was on Macdonald covering all from the bench.

No 8 Nick Williams, by Nucifora's reckoning "carried the ball well" in the win against the Reds, blindside flanker Troy Flavell had played very strongly while Daniel Braid was the specialist openside rover.

On that evidence and Nucifora's assessment commending the result in Brisbane, the only changes to the Blues are likely to be in the reserves.

Instead, this week's work has been about adding to the momentum the forwards have found, lowering the mistake rate and finding the best avenues to bring wings Joe Rokocoko and Doug Howlett into the game.