Funereal feeling about the Blues

Skipper Chris Whitaker and his Waratahs had the Blues going backwards all night. Matthew King / Getty Images

Waratahs 43 Blues 9

The Blues added drowsiness to their list of Super 14 ailments last night.

Accused of either too much froth or too little setpiece substance in the early rounds, the Blues were in sluggish decay against the Waratahs, committing all sorts of basic rugby sins as they sank to their fourth defeat this season and their worst loss to the Sydneysiders.

For players used to the problems of wet-weather rugby, the Blues looked to be nervous beginners on L-plates while the Waratahs were chauffeur-driven around Aussie Stadium.

They put their foot down to obliterate their previous best 16-point winning margin against the Blues in 2001.

"We have got to go back to the drawing board," disconsolate skipper Keven Mealamu said.

Torpor handcuffed the Blues from the fifth minute when Waratahs hooker Adam Freier dummied his way past the defensive line. There was fumble rather than rumble from the pack, the backs were reluctant to play anywhere near the advantage line in the difficult conditions while ill-discipline gifted the Waratahs penalty points.

But the Blues' greatest crime was inattention to duty.

As most of them turned their backs thinking Waratah fullback Peter Hewat would kick for goal, Lote Tuqiri tapped and ran 20m past a startled few for his side's second try. It was a humiliating and embarrassing snapshot of their season.

They never recovered. Once again Mealamu was exempt but few of his teammates appeared to get out of their lethargy. Their error chart was way too high. Spilled ball and missed tackles were excessive. There could be no excuses as they had been in Sydney since Tuesday to prepare.

Coaches David Nucifora and Joe Schmidt dragged first five-eighths Tasesa Lavea after 53 undistinguished minutes but the game was gone by then. The damage was irreversible.

The pack failed to deal with the soggy conditions. After the promise indicated in the step forward against the Brumbies, the Blues went into reverse, unable to cope with the fury of the Waratahs pack and defensive lines.

Angus Macdonald had to fill in at openside for injured specialist Daniel Braid and blindside flanker Troy Flavell was a late withdrawal because of a bruised hip.

Those changes were a disruption but decent squads trust their player depth. Teams under pressure play with the hunger the Blues did last week. Last night they showed as much anxiety as a group of fat-cats.

Any self-belief they accrued from their win last week against the Brumbies will have sagged, their semifinal target a mirage with calls for regular end of season inquiries to be brought forward.

Coaches Nucifora and Schmidt have been unable to produce consistency from this squad. Unless there is a remarkable metamorphosis the seven remaining games are looking like a funeral march.

Waratahs 43 (A. Freier, L. Tuqiri, P. Hewat, W. Sailor tries; P. Hewat 3 con, 5 pen)
Blues 9 (L. McAlister 3 pen)
Halftime 23-9.