Finlay Christie had a Saturday night to remember at Eden Park as the Blues banked their third successive bonus-point victory in Super Rugby Transtasman to consign Australian teams to 13 straight defeats and draw level with the Hurricanes on maximum points.
After clocking up 98 points intheir two previous bonus-point victories over the Rebels and Waratahs, the Brumbies were always going to provide the Blues with their first proper test of this competition.
Now sitting atop the table with 15 competition points – ahead of the Hurricanes on points difference - the Blues comfortably passed that test after running in five-tries-to-one.
Christie, the livewire Scottish-born halfback, produced a standout performance. Most will note the brilliant try he scored just before halftime following a Rieko Ioane break, jinking inside and out to beat four defenders on his way scoring a special 35-metre effort he had no right to.
Finlay Christie on his way to the try line. Photo / Photosport
Christie's defensive work was just as prominent, though.
First he pulled off a try-saving bootlace tackle as Brumbies blindside Rob Valetini charged for the line at pace and, in the second half, Christie chopped second five-eighth Irae Simone down on his own line.
Not bad for one of the smallest blokes on the park – and he did it all after taking a knee to the head in the first half which left him with a bloody shiner below his left eye.
Dalton Papalii, in his starting return at openside flanker, wasn't far behind Christie after earning several breakdown penalties in an 80-minute effort.
While the Blues' scrappy first half and wayward lineout again needs work, this was their best performance of the transtasman season. Their defensive pressure in the second half caused the Brumbies major problems with All Blacks prop Nepo Laulala laying on several big shots and lock Gerard Cowley-Tuioti grabbing one intercept to highlight their line speed.
After leading 17-10 at the break, the Blues scored three second-half tries and put the foot on the throat to clinically close out the game when replacement Brumbies hooker Folau Fainga'a copped a late yellow card.
Holding the Brumbies scoreless in the second spell is an impressive feat, too.
Leon MacDonald will be pleased with his side's progress – yet there's no sense of ease with bonus points set to determine which Kiwi teams will make the final.
Finlay Christie celebrates his try with Blues teammates Rieko Ioane (L) and Dalton Papalii (R). Photo / Photosport
The Blues rode Karl Tu'inukuafe's continued dominant scrummaging efforts and strong team maul defence to lead at the break, despite living off scraps in the first half.
A malfunctioning lineout - losing two of their own throws - and costly discipline near their own line allowed the Brumbies to maintain possession and consistently pressure the Blues.
While Tu'inukuafe had the upper hand on Wallabies opposite Scott Sio, it was a different story on the other side of the scrum where Blues tighthead Marcel Renata was frequently pinged by Australian referee Damon Murphy.
Blues hooker Kurt Eklund claimed the opening try from a rolling maul but the locals spent much of the first half defending.
The Blues largely held firm but, eventually, gave way under the weight of pressure with Brumbies hooker Connal McInerney scoring an identical try to Eklund.
Locked 10-all after Otere Black and Noah Lolesio traded penalties, Ioane made the telling play of the half with a break in which he swatted away Wallabies halfback Nic White. Ioane offloaded to Christie, who finished a superb movement.
That was the end of the Brumbies resistance as the Blues dominance grew throughout the second half. With the Reds in Brisbane next week and the Force at home to finish the regular season, the Blues hold their finals chances in their hands.
Returning to Canberra for their final two games against the Highlanders and Hurricanes, the Brumbies can only hope to play a spoiling role.
Blues 38 (Kurt Eklund, Finlay Christie, Bryce Heem, AJ Lam, TJ Faiane tries; Otere Black 4 cons, pen, Harry Plummer con) Brumbies 10 (Connal McInerney try; Noah Lolesio con, pen) HT: 17-10
