KEY POINTS:
One title in the past decade, one engraving on the Super trophy since the heady first few years of professional rugby between New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, is a modest return for the Blues.
Especially when it is stacked up against the record of their great Crusader
rivals who have rightly earned the plaudits as the benchmark team of the competition.
However, another provincial title for Auckland last season has lifted optimism in the franchise that a five-year drought in Super rugby can be broken.
Expectation is high that the experimental rules and a higher-paced game will suit the Blues' attacking instincts.
It is a line which is also being peddled to describe the Chiefs and Hurricanes as all teams head into the opening round this weekend where they will discover the full impact of the experimental law variations. Those confident about the Blues should balance that buoyancy when they scan the list of those missing from last year.
The departure of Doug Howlett, Luke McAlister, Sam Tuitupou, David Holwell, Steve Devine, David Gibson, Angus Macdonald, Greg Rawlinson, Ali Williams, Saimone Taumoepeau and Derren Witcombe adds up to a massive chunk of missing experience.
It robs the Blues of the player depth needed to succeed and produce consistent performances in this gruelling competition.
There are still 11 players who have represented the All Blacks in the squad but that is balanced by five players making their Super 14 debut this season.
First five eighths Nick Evans will make his Blues debut after a number of seasons in Highlanders colours. His speed, tactical kicking, goalkicking and organisation make him a real threat and perhaps the best acquisition the side has made in years.
Since Carlos Spencer left, the Blues have been unable to settle on someone to run the backline but if Evans stays fit they should have the solution. He mixes his game up well so defences will not be allowed to drift to cover the threat of the Blues' outside backs.
A frontrow of Tony Woodcock, Keven Mealamu and John Afoa is also a powerful combination.
But the locks, loose forwards and halfback may be the area where the Blues are tested most.
Skipper Troy Flavell will be one lock but without Williams, Rawlinson and Macdonald, there will be huge pressure on Anthony Boric, Bryn Evans or Kurtis Haiu to hit rucks and mauls and nail their setpiece obligations.
Daniel Braid and Jerome Kaino are quality loose forwards but there are some issues about finding a complete and compatible trio.
Justin Collins is a great competitor who was anticipating a subsidiary playing role in this campaign and more of a mentoring schedule for the younger players. But an injury to Braid and doubt about Nick Williams' fitness may force him into extra work as coach David Nucifora looks for the best balance in the backrow.
Halfback also became a major concern after the injury exits of Devine and Gibson.
For experience, Nucifora went to the draft where he picked up former All Black Danny Lee while Taniela Moa is on the rise.
The uncertainties though about the back five of the scrum and halfback will be the pressure points for the Blues.
Former All Black and foundation Blues fullback Greg Cooper has arrived after seven seasons with the Highlanders, charged with getting more consistent impact from the backline than his predecessor Joe Schmidt was able to orchestrate.
The initial challenge will be all about selection and sifting through the logjam of midfield talent.
Isa Nacewa's utility skills will bail the Blues out of concerns at fullback while he can also be used as an alternate playmaker to Evans.
Ball-carrying athletic forwards like Flavell, Kaino, Afoa and Mealamu are crucial components of the Blues hopes. If they stay healthy and the conditioning experts are right, they will be danger men in the final quarter of matches.
The difficulty for the Blues coaching staff may be finding enough replacement forward impact from the bench in what is now a 22-man game.
Evans, with his pace and vision will challenge defensive screens and the extra space around scrums with the new rules demanding both backlines start 5m behind the No 8's feet.
The Blues made a fast start to last year's competition but then staggered through the final stages against the South African sides.
This season they have a particularly tasty start against the Chiefs before leaving on Sunday for a three-match roadtrip against the Lions, Cheetahs and Sharks. The South African sides are notoriously slow starters and if they are caught out by the anticipated higher paced game created by the experimental laws, the Blues may sneak an advantage.
They bookend the series with home matches against the Chiefs and Hurricanes in a six home, seven away game split with the other four of their home games in a five match stretch in the middle section of the competition.
