Stormers 33 Blues 21
Only one thing is guaranteed about the Blues - they will be inconsistent.
Why their form is so temperamental has remained a mystery for a convoy of coaches (except Graham Henry) who have taken charge of the franchise since the Super rugby series erupted 15 years ago.
Pat Lam is
the latest to be left scratching his luxurious hairline after the Stormers surged past his side 33-21 on Saturday at Eden Park to quell much of the optimism from the previous round when the Blues became the only side to beat the competition leaders, the Bulls.
A Manhattan-style graph on the Blues' form has them jumping from the penthouse to the outhouse once more as they failed to reclaim enough ground after spotting the visitors a 20-0 lead towards the end of the first half.
The match offered a role reversal.
The Blues fell from the giddy heights of their triumph against the Bulls while the Stormers regathered their mojo after becoming the first Force victim this season.
"We can't afford to play up and down like this," dejected Blues captain Keven Mealamu said. "We will make sure we cover everything off this week and come back and play well."
They probably will, if they continue their fickle form against the Force at Eden Park. But they needed to do it against the Stormers as well and build on the brilliance and basics they welded against the Bulls.
Somehow that rugby recipe disappeared. The Stormers made all the early play as the Blues played like they had just learned of the late reshuffles which brought Tevita Mailau and Luke McAlister in for the damaged John Afoa and Benson Stanley.
Starting tighthead Charlie Faumuina damaged his sternum in the opening minutes and was replaced but those changes should not be offered for the sloppy start as the Blues' defences wavered, their lineout malfunctioned and their tactical discipline spluttered.
They looked to be in slumberland. They tried to run when they could have cleared their 22, their handling was imprecise, their chase game lax and Stephen Brett brought the full set of sloppy tactical kicks.
But for some great defence from Isaia Toeava and a few mixed calls from the Stormers on attack, the score could have blown out to a horror margin by the break.
It was staked at 20-7 when Serge Lilo finished a superb bust from Toeava and coach Lam made his halftime pleas to his team about winning possession, treasuring it, eliminating their turnovers and increasing the tempo.
The ideas were sound but the Stormers came out of the blocks best as Bryan Habana split the defences only to see his awkward pass to Gio Aplon shelled, with the line open.
Hope returned for the hosts when they turned down a shot at goal and from the ensuing phases, manoeuvred McAlister into acres of space for a try.
Rene Ranger then counterattacked in a dazzling 50m surge and Anthony Boric was shunted into touch near the tryline as the attacking waves continued.
But then the lineout mishaps returned for stunned substitute Anton Van Zyl to run 30m to score what would be the deathknell for the Blues.
Stormers coach Alastair Coetzee said his side had repaired their composure from a week ago and it had been heartening to see this translated into their impact during the match.
His senior players like Schalk Burger, Andries Bekker, Tiaan Liebenberg, Jaque Fourie, Peter Grant and Habana delivered on their reputations.
"We couldn't just defend, we had to attack as well," Coetzee said. "We worked them around the park and kept the ball, and by respecting our own possession the opportunities arose."
They are messages that should be ringing through the Blues camp this week as they contemplate a four wins-four losses record sheet and the chance of a playoffs spot disappearing over the horizon.
