View photosKEY POINTS:
What frame of mind will the Blues be in for tomorrow's Super 14 semifinal after the turmoil of Ali Williams' premature exit?
The banished lock will hope they can channel some of the discontent into unhinging the top-qualifying Sharks rather than repeat some of the agitated distractions from
the teams' last match at Albany.
Senior halfback Steve Devine will be a barometer for the side's self-control after the lack of poise he showed towards referee Stu Dickinson and the Sharks in the Blues' 32-25 round-robin loss.
Devine is a great mate of Williams and one of the leadership group who decided they could not tolerate his disruptive influence any more. In Durban tomorrow, Devine and his mates have to show they have their heads in sync for this sudden-death semifinal.
That message is appropriate for Devine, as a year ago, his future in rugby looked extremely doubtful.
He was concussed in the opening game, took time to recover and then suffered other hits which left him lethargic and struggling to complete trainings. Eventually he went to a neurologist, was put on medication and told to do nothing for two months.
"It got to the point where I would drive home after training and could not get out of the car," he recalled.
Those difficult times are now behind Devine, but he also needs to erase the feisty, undisciplined display he and others produced against the Sharks last time.
All his experience disappeared. He fell well short of the composure shown by his much younger rival, Ruan Pienaar. The Blues were intimidated, niggled and goaded by the Sharks and lost the plot. They did not deal with the conditions. They were naive tactically and were hindered by poor decisions from Dickinson and his touch judges.
"Deal with it" is the memo to the Blues, who will face similar issues tomorrow, including referee Dickinson.
Both teams face alterations. The Blues have pulled Isaia Toeava in a place for the injured Luke McAlister, with Anthony Tuitavake chosen at centre; while the Sharks face fitness tests for prop Deon Carstens and midfielder Bradley Barritt.
The Blues selection decreases their tactical kicking choices but boosts their attacking flair. If they get enough possession they will be able to apply pressure on the Sharks tackle counts.
They will need to vary their attacks through the sort of inside balls and loose forward running from Jerome Kaino and Nick Williams that will test the legality of Butch James' tackling techniques.
The Blues will suffer if George Pisi and others are asked to bring the ball back from attacking Sharks kicks.
David Holwell at pivot and Isa Nacewa at fullback would have changed those dynamics, but the Blues appear to have gone for all-out attack.
Sharks coach Dick Muir said of the contest: "We have similar styles. They are a very physical side as well and can move the ball around."
Blues' David Nucifora said: "They are not a one-dimensional team ... they are a lot better football team than that. We have to confront them at their strength but we have to be very wary that they have more than one string to the way they play the game."
