Otere Black lines up a kick at goal in the match against the Bulls at the Loftus Versveld Stadium. The Blues won 23-21. Photo / Muzi Ntombela, BackpagePix
Otere Black lines up a kick at goal in the match against the Bulls at the Loftus Versveld Stadium. The Blues won 23-21. Photo / Muzi Ntombela, BackpagePix
COMMENT:
This next three-game, four-week block will define the Blues' season.
After that, their not-so-secret weapon will be unleashed, and they promise to be an entirely different beast.
Before Beauden Barrett makes his highly anticipated debut against his former team next month, it's imperative the Blues retain the feel-good factorsurrounding their surprisingly good start to the year.
Their immediate challenge, aside from winning at home for the first time this season, is proving they can perform under expectation. Three weeks in a row they started underdogs and upset those odds away from home.
Few, if anyone outside the team, predicted four wins from six games to sit third in the New Zealand conference, sixth overall.
The Blues now face blocking out added pressure that comes with their upturn in fortunes attached to ending their near decade-long playoff drought.
How will they respond to this while preparing to host the Lions at Eden Park on Saturday? The Johannesburg outfit have been poor this season, winning one match against the Reds while conceding 17 turnovers per-game. That's grim in anyone's rugby.
This is a match the Blues should win, and win well. That's not a position they have contemplated this year and brings a very different mental hurdle. Perceived or otherwise, rising to meet stronger opposition is easier than maintaining standards against lesser opponents.
Next week the Blues welcome the Brumbies, Australia's best side, then a bye before the always-testing trip to Christchurch. Two wins will keep the Blues within touching distance of a long-coveted place in the finals.
Anything less, and they threaten to fall off the pace.
Last week the Blues benefited from a red card to Hurricanes prop Tyrel Lomax in the 46th minute of their victory in Wellington. The Hurricanes led 8-7 at the time, and imploded through ill-discipline to being left with 12 men.
Beauden Barrett and Otere Black at training. Photo / Andrew Cornaga, Photosport
It's easy to suggest these were fortunate circumstances for the Blues, but applying pressure forces oppositions into mistakes, making your own luck in this game.
It's premature to even mention the Blues as title contenders – the Chiefs and Crusaders clearly occupy New Zealand's top-tier bracket. But the Blues don't have to win Super Rugby for this to be a successful campaign.
After years of muddling mediocrity, genuine progress is all anyone can ask.
Barrett's mid-season debut will be tempered, somewhat, by the All Blacks' restrictions on all test players to 180 minutes through their first three games. Most All Blacks come off the bench in their first game back.
Let's not forget, too, Otere Black's calming influence and superb goalkicking has guided the Blues to this point.
Without doubt, Barrett will be a mid-season adrenaline shot, no matter which number he wears. His combination with Rieko Ioane in particular will provide highlight reel moments to savour.
If the Blues can navigate this next stretch without Barrett, his freakish talent can only push them ever closer to the elusive playoffs.
Fail to capitalise on their favourable run of recent form, and his injection will come too late.
