For weeks the Blues have been a headline act because of what they could not achieve.
They eased that unwanted attention with victory against the Brumbies but the intrigue about the Blues is about to hot up again.
Reason? The impending return of Luke McAlister after a month recuperating from a cracked jaw.
The versatile inside back has an appointment with a specialist oral surgeon today, an inspection which will decide if he can join the side for Friday's challenge against the Waratahs in Sydney.
If McAlister is cleared to travel the subsequent interest will be where he is selected or whether he will be dripfed from the bench.
Will he trade places with Rua Tipoki and return to the midfield where he started the opening two games? That would allow coach David Nucifora to retain Tasesa Lavea as first five-eighths where he showed more aplomb because of the pack's momentum. Or will the Blues opt to invest in an entire North Harbour combination with McAlister, Tipoki and Anthony Tuitavake?
Those who saw the Blues play the Waratahs in a pre-series match at Gosford recall how sharp McAlister was in that match at No 10. His variety of kicking, passing and running skills were a feature of the Blues play.
Nucifora and back coach Joe Schmidt will go through all the scenarios and balance that against the Blues victory on Saturday against the Brumbies.
There were not bags of polish in the win but there was an enormous amount of spirit, attitude and toil.
The selectors will want to build on the confidence derived from conquering the Brumbies, beaten for the first time this season.
It will be part of their armour in the short interlude before Friday's match.
But McAlister is a gifted talent, an All Black, an expert goalkicker and a player who will cause tremors in the Waratahs.
Away from that decision the Blues need fitness checks on Doug Howlett and Daniel Braid who have been troubled by hamstring problems and Troy Flavell who hurt his hip on Saturday.
The Blues' emphasis this week will be at least repeating the setpiece superiority they were able to establish against the Brumbies.
After a wobbly start the Blues lineout operated strongly and Ali Williams also disrupted the opposition throws while the scrum dealt to the Brumbies.
For Nucifora it was the most pleasing aspect of the victory as it disabled the starter moves on which the Brumbies base their patterned game. They had some fortune with officials ruling out two Stirling Mortlock tries while several other chances were squandered. The Blues could claim similar missed opportunities in a match where missed tackles and turnovers were far too prevalent.
The Brumbies are spooked by Eden Park and the Blues and played like it too. But the Blues had a gameplan based on momentum, keeping the ball off the ground to negate George Smith while creating fast ball for the speed on their flanks. There will be similar tactics this week.
"Unless you do the setpiece well, it is impossible to find space," Nucifora said, repeating his lament of recent weeks.
Meanwhile the Hurricanes continued their series of close calls in South Africa, adding the Bulls' scalp to the Stormers. The Hurricanes now face a similar drama as the Highlanders, flying home for a game against the improving Sharks. The Highlanders lost their way in the final stages as fatigue set in at Carisbrook and the Hurricanes have an even shorter turnaround this Friday.
The Chiefs will resume after a bye against the Brumbies in Canberra, buoyed by the Brumbies' inability to cope with the Blues.
Nucifora had questioned the Brumbies' ability to deal with the style of rugby in New Zealand compared with the South African sides they had faced in the early stages of the Super 14.
There will be encouragement for the Chiefs who bring enormous forward vigour to their game although that will be balanced by the difficulty of playing in Canberra.
<EM>Wynne Gray:</EM> McAlister's return from injury brings new intrigue
Wynne Gray
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