KEY POINTS:
The Blues are flush with luxuries as they contemplate their next Super 14 clash with the Hurricanes.
After the late triumph against the Brumbies there was the optimistic medical bulletin that last season All Blacks Sam Tuitupou and Isaia Toeava had recovered for Saturday's match in Wellington.
That
report offered midfield selection riches other New Zealand franchises, such as the Chiefs, can only envy.
Coach David Nucifora can mix any combination of Tuitupou, Toeava, Luke McAlister and Anthony Tuitavake for the duel with a Hurricanes side that will still be without new skipper Conrad Smith in midfield.
The Blues' solution?
McAlister has to be picked at second five-eighths after the impact he made from the bench against the Crusaders followed by his slashing work in atrocious conditions against the Brumbies.
Toeava was first pick at centre this season and if his shoulder has recovered he should be chosen against his former franchise.
Tuitavake and his provincial teammate Rudi Wulf would then be left to vie for the left wing.
The coaches will be reluctant to tinker with the pack which, apart from an uneasy scrum, has shown a resilience more in keeping with their blanket former All Black reputation.
The Blues will aim to use that impetus against the Hurricanes who do not possess quite the same pedigree in the pack during the All Black conditioning period.
If the game gets loose, though, the Hurricanes have backs like Ma'a Nonu, Tana Umaga, Corey Jane, Hosea Gear and David Smith who can deliver all sorts of headaches for any defence.
Hurricanes' coach Colin Cooper accepted his side had been bludgeoned by the Reds in a forward slog in round one.
But they had benefited from an improved tactical approach in their win last week against the Chiefs.
The Blues have not beaten the Hurricanes since 2003.
They were badly scarred in the opening match last season when they led the Hurricanes 16-3 at halftime before eventually losing 37-19 at Eden Park.
That sort of fragility troubled the Blues for much of the season.
So far there has been a distinct improvement this year, although the Blues cannot afford a repeat of the penalty count they suffered in Canberra.
"We said at the end of last year things were moving but they weren't being reflected on the field," Nucifora said.
"For the first couple of weeks we've seen a little bit of return.
"We've got a fair bit more to give yet," he added in advance of Saturday.
The Blues are expected to name their lineup today.
