Cohesion brings reward for Blues

The Brumbies’ Scott Fava is halted by the Blues’ Luke McAlister and Mils Muliaina in their Super 12 match at Eden Park last night. Picture / Chris Skelton

Blues 17 Brumbies 0

It probably seemed miraculous to the thousands who watched a sickly, pathetic Blues side trudge off Eden Park two weeks ago, return last night and beat the reigning Super 12 champions without so much as breaking into a decent sweat.

So what was the magic cure that enabled them to clamber off their death bed and then trample all over the Brumbies? Nothing more miraculous than hard work, execution of the basics and passion.

It was the last quality that made the real difference. Rucks were hit in numbers, there were frequent double ups in the tackle and there was a pleasing presence of good old-fashioned mongrel.

There was a sense of cerebral engagement too. Rather than give up on the game plan after the opening 10 minutes, everyone stuck to the script.

The utterly daft was eradicated. Passes that could not be guaranteed to reach their intended destination weren't thrown. Ball security meant more than just protecting their best bits in rucks.

It was from that platform that the Blues were at last able to play multi-phase football. And when they do that, they exert pressure. And when they exert pressure, even a side as defensively proficient as the Brumbies, suddenly starts to look ordinary.

Its not just the players, though, who deserve a fuzzy moment. The coaching staff took a stance. They fronted after the Crusaders game and offered no excuses. They talked about the need to make things happen, threatened to swing the axe to get the sorts of performances they felt the side was capable of.

The threats proved not to be idle and out went Carlos Spencer, the biggest name of the lot. It was a big gamble, but big risks carry big payoffs. Besides, if you do what you have always done, you'll get the results you have always had.

If head coach Peter Sloane's heart was fluttering having made some bold selections, it would have returned to a more steady pace after 15 minutes when Doug Howlett collected a long kick from Luke McAlister to canter over the try line ahead of Mark Gerrard.

When McAlister then collected his own perfectly weighted chip to make the score 17-0 early in the second half, his heart would have been racing again, this time at the thought his side were at last fulfilling the potential which has lain dormant in 2005.

There was plenty for Sloane to enjoy in between those scores. Bradley Mika was a thundering presence all night.

When Nick Williams came off the bench to join him in the boiler room, seismologists around the country would have noted his Super 12 entry.

It was the juddering hits that disrupted the Brumbies and prevented them settling into a rhythm. It also gave the Blues plenty of turnover ball and while they are still not running from deep with the élan of 2003, they are getting there. So incredible was the Blues renaissance, that they were actually cussing themselves for not securing the bonus point.

Both Muliaina and Braid had opportunities to do so, but really, it would be harsh in the extreme to give any of the Blues a hard time.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY