KEY POINTS:
Mollycoddling or selection pampering are not terms in David Nucifora's coaching phrase-book.
Not yet and certainly not while his Blues side is on a roll in South Africa and preparing to meet the unbeaten Sharks on Sunday in Durban.
After his side hit the lead in the Super
14 series, Nucifora offered little sign he was going to juggle his selections. Apart from injured fullback Isa Nacewa, the coach thought his preferred XV could cope with a third straight run in South Africa.
"I don't see that as a fair bit," Nucifora said, after the latest 50-26 win against the Cheetahs.
"The guys are comfortable with the workload."
Nucifora has repeatedly praised the impact of his strength and conditioning staff and the work done pre-season by his players, to cope with the up-tempo impact of the new laws.
In a pointed remark, he noted how strongly wing Joe Rokocoko was playing, after being able to prepare with the squad for the entire off-season, instead of being out of bounds because of World Cup demands.
Apart from Nacewa's knee damage, the Blues have been fortunate with injury and Nucifora has only interchanged wings Anthony Tuitavake and Rudi Wulf in his initial three team selections.
The coach followed a similar policy last year, while rest and rotation became hotly-debated concepts in the rugby lexicon at All Black level.
Meanwhile, the bulk of the Blues side played most of their matches last year but came unstuck in South Africa towards the end of the competition.
The trip to the Republic has come at the start of this season, with the Blues fresh and the locals still shy on fitness and harnessing the new laws.
It is time to strike for the Blues, it is not a time to tinker with selections.
It is time to maintain momentum, though Nucifora admits they are still learning about the effects of increased fatigue levels on the players.
He has used his subs bench in the final quarter of matches and given the squad a light workload at practice in South Africa.
Manager Ant Strachan said the squad was "pretty beaten up" after absorbing the aggressive approach of the Cheetahs in a match played in high temperatures in Bloemfontein.
But captain Troy Flavell felt the set piece battle meant his side would be primed for this weekend's clash of the unbeaten sides in Durban.
The Sharks started the Blues' slide last year when they beat them 32-25 in a niggly encounter in rainy conditions at Albany.
The Blues were ruffled by the Sharks and Stu Dickinson's refereeing.
They also lacked a strong tactical kicking approach but Nick Evans has rectified that deficiency this season.
Defections have hurt the Sharks this year, with the exits to Europe of players like John Smit, Percy Montgomery and injury to halfback Ruan Pienaar.
They have still been the sharpest South African side and, with the help of three late tries at the weekend, avenged last year's title loss to the Bulls.
