Richard Loe: Blues ignore contact lesson to their peril

If you're wondering what's wrong with the Blues, look no further than attitude.

I should make it clear at the outset that I am not questioning the Blues' ability - anyone can see they have tons - but the attitude with which they carry out their task. That's very PC for old R. Loe but there you are ...

I'm also not going to sound off at coaches Pat Lam and Shane Howarth because I don't believe that's where the problem lies, rookie coaches or not.

No, I am reminded of one of the games Waikato had against Auckland back in the days when I was playing.

We decided to do unto others what they'd do unto us if we didn't do it first. In the All Blacks, Michael Jones always liked to correct me on that one, with his Christian beliefs.

So we hurt them. We had a crack at Auckland at the collisions, in the rucks, in the tackles, everywhere. If we went in with that attitude, they had to feel it and we figured the hurter wouldn't be as badly hurt as the hurtee.

And so it proved. Auckland did what the Blues did on Friday night - they ended up coming second at the key collision areas and lost the game.

That's it for me. For two weeks in a row, against the Chiefs and now the Waratahs, they have been given a lesson at the contact areas. That's puzzling. You can't tell me the coaches didn't point it out and work on it after the Chiefs game.

So it's the players. Up front, I thought only Keven Mealamu, John Afoa and maybe Chris Lowrey really did the business in the collision phases. That's not enough people. You can't win at this level with only three forwards doing the job there.

The new props struggled - and the Blues miss Tony Woodcock - and locks Kurtis Haiu and Ali Williams were busy but, man, were they loose. Jerome Kaino went missing and there were big noises about Onosai Tololima-Auva'a, the No 7, but he hasn't really come on, in my opinion.

While we're talking about attitude, let's go behind the scrum - Joe Rokocoko would be no 2 in the Auckland team right now and his competition is a guy who normally plays centre - Anthony Tuitavake. Rokocoko is kind of typical of the Blues right now - not quite there, not reaching potential, strangely disconnected, almost.

Halfback Taniela Moa is another. He has unquestioned ability but blows hot and cold and I think maybe the coaches leave him on in the hope that he'll suddenly spark something and have a blinder.

But I think reserve halfback Chris Smyllie is a better bet when he comes on. Moa is big, runs well, kicks well and has a good pass - but his decision-making is often not good and he also typifies Auckland; he looks like he has lost confidence.

He and they need to find it fast. The Waratahs are an ordinary side, not as good as their standing in the Super 14 table. The Blues let them into that game and they did the job well in taking their chances and hanging on to what was theirs.

But, if we're talking about the Blues' chances of the play-offs, I'd be worried now. They don't look to have the attitude nor the confidence nor the combinations.

Look at Richie McCaw and Reuben Thorne when they played so well for the Crusaders. They complemented each other's style of play so well - and I'm not even trying to suggest that Thorne was the greatest No 6 that God ever breathed life into.

The Blues don't seem to have that kind of combination and confidence. Such things can be mended fast and can be turned around. But they need to hurry.