That platform allowed Perofeta to spark the backline into life, with All Blacks wings Mark Telea bagging two second-half tries and Caleb Clarke snaffling one.
After several seasons stuck behind Beauden Barrett, Perofeta is clearly relishing the chance to seize the playmaking reins for the Blues.
“I’m trying to make the most of this opportunity with the Blues to take control of this team. I’m enjoying the relationship with Vern [Cotter] and how he sees the game. We’re on the same page and heading in the same direction,” Perofeta said.
“I’ve tried to create space for others but I’ve got to be clear in my role. That allows me time on the ball. At the start I was probably unsure but now my head is in a space where I know what we need which allows me to be free and play.
“Two games in Japan set the tone for how we want to play. It was good to see those things come to fruition today.”
It would be foolish to read too much into the Blues’ two wins in Japan and this victory over the Chiefs but new head coach Vern Cotter is satisfied enough as he contemplates opening the season against the Fijian Drua in Whangārei.
The Blues lost captain Patrick Tuipulotu to a broken jaw in Japan. Akira Ioane’s calf injury is expected to sideline him for the first two regular season games and All Blacks prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi appears set to miss round one, too. Otherwise, though, the Blues squad is in healthy shape.
“I spoke to Clayton [McMillan] before the game and we were both unsure where our teams were after two games in Japan and the travel. Today we got a good look at ourselves. The Chiefs were very good in the contact area. It was a good hit-out for both sides and we’ll be better for it.
“Stephen always has time. You never know what he’s going to bring – he has that unpredictability. With the outsides he’s got around him he can set them alight at any time. As long as the forwards work hard for him we’re all good.
“By no means are we anywhere near ready for the Drua next week. We’ll need to get stuck into it.”
Cotter indicated his biggest selection headache is at halfback where Sam Nock and Finlay Christie are competing for the starting role.
“They’re good headaches to have.”
Anton Lienert-Brown claimed the opening try but Chiefs coach McMillan injected All Blacks Luke Jacobson, Damian McKenzie, Shaun Stevenson and Samisoni Taukei’aho for the second half.
“They’ll go away and have a good reflection on where they’re at personally,” McMillan said. “You could see a number of the All Blacks on both sides were short of a gallop. We hope with the Crusaders not playing their All Blacks this week they’re severely under the weather next week but we know that won’t be the case.”
With a rematch of last year’s final to open their campaign in Hamilton, the Chiefs won’t be short of motivation next week.
“Any time you play the Crusaders you know what’s coming. A lot of people will probably think it’s a big revenge match for us but we can’t change what’s happened in the past, we can only look forward. That’s what we’re putting all our focus on. If we’re good enough next week it will set us up.”
