Rugby: Blues humiliated by Lions

Patrick Tuipuluotu of The Blues makes a break during the round four Super Rugby match between the Blues and the Lions. Photo / Getty Images.

Blues 10
Lions 13

The only thing more humiliating about being dragged into a dog fight with the Lions, is being dragged into that fight and then losing.

However bad things appeared at the Blues, they are in fact worse. A home defeat to the Lions - that's as bad as it gets.

First take: Kirwan's got to go
Patrick McKendry: One of the most disappointing defeats in history

And it's not as if there was any outrageous misfortune or injustice behind this defeat. Nope, it has to be chalked up to a stunning lack of precision and accuracy. It has to be blamed on an attack game that has gone totally up the spout.

The Lions were relentlessly awful. Exactly what purpose they were there to serve wasn't easy to tell.

If their goal was simply to make up the numbers, then they needed to reassess - as they fell short. Devoid of any known players, any real ambition or direction, the Lions were relentlessly awful.

And they won. Let's be clear on that - they were that bad and they won.

What does that say about the Blues? Well, it means the pressure coach John Kirwan was under before the game has now doubled.

It means that, if the Blues were honest and they haven't already contacted Tasman coach Kieran Keane, they should be on the blower this morning. To lose to the Lions means the last vestige of hope for 2015 has gone. This campaign is not going to recover. Not from here. Not when the Blues have so little idea what to do with the ball.

That sort of cluelessness doesn't fix itself easily and what a tragedy that two Blues stalwarts - Jerome Kaino and Keven Mealamu - had to endure such an awful night when they were both chalking up significant milestones.

The players rightfully looked stunned at the final whistle - not just because of the result, but because of the nature of it.

They appeared to be on track in the first 10 minutes after halftime.

The forwards once again looked to be in reasonable shape. The ball-carrying grunt was impressive and the pick and go around the fringes has become their happy place.

Once they wheeled off Jimmy Cowan, who couldn't have bought a good decision, the pack went up another gear again. They had sensed that to get the job done, they'd best do it themselves.

They couldn't have been oblivious to he kefuffling that was going on in the backs. Something just isn't right with their attacking set-up.

There was quick ball and there was momentum, yet no flow. The basics weren't there. It looked like a combination of little things adding up.

From the alignment, to the timing, to the angles of running, to the accuracy of the passing - none of it was bang-on. It was more than a little bit out, too, and the net result was a lot of sideways running, dropped balls and sighs to the heavens.

The endeavour couldn't be faulted but honest toil isn't enough to get anywhere at this level. That's a bare minimum expectation and it is undeniable now that they need help to get back on track.

Their ability to transition from crunching forward play to sweeping back moves has deserted them.

And because they can't do that, they don't look like a Blues side that anyone can recognise. This is not the style of rugby Aucklanders want.

There has to be more to come. Even if it is now the wild optimism of the deluded, there has to be more to come.

Blues 10 (J. Kaino try; I. West cons, pens) Lions 13 (R. Combrinck tries; E. Jantjies con, 2 pens)
. Halftime: 10-3.