KEY POINTS:
Too much sanitised footy. That complaint, alongside others, has burbled through the second Super 14 season - but a change could be stirring tonight in Hamilton.
The Chiefs host the Blues. The result? Straightforward, you would think, looking at their records: the battlers against the series leaders.
However,
this is one of the rare matches in the competition where some of rugby's robotic refinement, some of the dispassionate characteristics of this competition, disappear.
This is the neighbourhood scrap, the local turf war, the battle for bragging rights, the country cousins fighting the city slickers, a rivalry where emotion and intensity boil a little more fiercely. Much to play for, including stronger entries in the All Blacks selectors' books.
Both sides have talked this week about confrontation. They expect the level of conflict to rise several notches, the demands on both teams to swell at Waikato Stadium.
Neither Blues coach David Nucifora nor Chiefs skipper Tom Willis are franchise natives but they have been around their regions long enough to absorb the sporting hostility.
"I was brought up around the Reds-Waratahs rivalry, and it is the same sort of feeling," Nucifora said.
Willis added: "There is an edge there; this will be very physical. The Blues have pushed and bullied the other teams around this year, and we intend to stand up to that. We pride ourselves on our work."
His Chiefs side have won the last three encounters, starting that run when Blues reject loose forward Sione Lauaki scored a stunning late try at Eden Park in 2004. It was a spear through the locals' heart which they have been unable to repair in two subsequent matches.
Both sides dismiss that record as irrelevant, but the pressure of history can inhibit sides. Willis spoke about the relief and lift in his side's morale when they cracked a five-match streak without a win.
Conversely, the Chiefs hold the results momentum against the Blues, and that does niggle. Even for a team which has shown a sustained consistency this season.
"We expect a bruising battle at the advantage line with the Chiefs," Nucifora said. "They will back themselves in the contact areas.
"But we like to think we are better in that department. We certainly need to match them and get other good aspects of our game going."
Willis admitted his side needed to be very accurate and disciplined or they would be punished tonight.
"They have a brutal forward pack and backs who can make things out of nothing, but there are no gimme games out there in this competition either."
While the Blues have been able to continue their momentum in this series by shuffling a few selections, there has been no perceptible change in standards for Nucifora to go early to his reconditioned All Blacks.
A scrum wobble or two has occurred, but Tony Woodcock's return at loosehead should solve that.
If the Chiefs are to test the Blues, they will target the axis at No 8and halfback. Nick Williams is adamaging runner and David Gibson clears the ball well - but theycould be upset by the boisterousattention of Byron Kelleher.
His bustling niggle will be a key to the Chiefs' impact, but away from the edge of the pack and Kelleher are a number of backline pressure points. Stephen Donald does not always kick or control a match tempo; Tasesa Lavea and Richard Kahui are an underdone midfield combination; and Dwayne Sweeney is prone to error.
The genius can come from Sitiveni Sivivatu, but he will have to be more interested than he was in Brisbane.
A measure of the sides comes from the Blues scoring 25 tries this year and conceding just eight, while the Chiefs have 19 touchdowns but leaked 13.
That concession might create the most alarm against a Blues side which does threaten regularly. Isa Nacewa, Luke McAlister and Isaia Toeava are just three of the classy attackers who will punish uncertain defences.
But the Chiefs' skill, passion and nerve have been a victorious cocktail - a lethal mixture the Blues have been unable to counter.
