Matt Duffie of the Blues celebrates after scoring a try. Photo / Getty Images
Matt Duffie of the Blues celebrates after scoring a try. Photo / Getty Images
The Blues are on top of the Super Rugby table...not only leading but they are a clear five points ahead. This is the year of the Blues!
Sure there's still a mathematical chance of them missing the playoffs but at the moment the Blues look the hottest team in SuperRugby.
For Blues fans this may sound familiar. The side also led the competition one game into last season after beating the defending champion Highlanders in the season opener. That was probably a more impressive result than last night's 56-18 thrashing of the Rebels in Melbourne.
But credit to the Blues they've started the season well.
Here's three reasons why Blues fans shouldn't get too excited and three reasons they should book an appointment at the local tattoo parlour for that 'Blues 2017 Super Rugby Champions #boomboom' tat.
1) Maybe the Rebels aren't that good Actually we know they're not good, the entire Australian Conference is probably rubbish. With last night's win the Blues are now unbeaten against Aussie teams going back to round 13, 2015. The Rebels play the Hurricanes and Chiefs in the next three weeks, with a bye in between. We'll be able to judge last night's result properly after those games.
2) It's only February and March looks tough The Blues have started gone 2-0 just twice in the last 10 seasons, the last time being 2013. In the next three weeks they have New Zealand Conference games against the Chiefs (away) , Highlanders (home) and the Crusaders (away). Win two of those and then we can talk about whether they are real contenders.
The Blues opened the 2002 season with a 60-7 win over the Hurricanes before losing the next two games and finished the year in fifth place.
3) You're meant to concede 50 in the opener, not score 50 Well that's what the Hurricanes did last season, losing their first game 52-10 to the Brumbies. The Highlanders also started the season with a defeat before winning the title in 2015.
And three reasons this is their year...
1) They have Rieko Ioane He's good. Really good. Fans should be really excited by the prospect of the 19-year-old linking up with Sonny Bill Williams when SBW returns from injury.
2) Big names to come SBW, Jerome Kaino and Patrick Tuipulotu missed the opener along. Once fully fit those are three players should make a strong impact to the starting side.
3) It's Tana's time Tana Umaga is no stranger to lifting trophies in years when the Lions tour, having done so in 2005.
