Rene Ranger has already found his happy place now he's back preparing for the Super Rugby season with the Blues.

Malakai Fekitoa's manager has moved to clear up some speculation about the midfielder's anger issues.

Malakai Fekitoa scored a try and got into a shoving match but kept his mouth shut in a Highlanders pre-season match.

Two of the hottest sevens prospects in the world after their exploits in Wellington and Sydney recently, will re-join the Blues tomorrow.

The summer heat and humidity is even getting to some of our best athletes.

The Highlanders have paid a musical tribute to fallen teammate Richard Buckman after he suffered a serious injury.

It's probably the heat playing tricks but it's possible the Blues aren't going to be their typical catastrophic selves.

Few have been greeting pre-season with more excitement than Blues lock Patrick Tuipulotu.

There is genuine excitement at Blues HQ. There is laughter in the ranks.

"The winter codes are emulating their summer brethren who have poured bastardised versions of the real game into the cricket calendar."

Remember Super Rugby? It kicks off in less than a month and the silence from the organisers has been deafening, writes Patrick McKendry.

One thing which will be immediately obvious when the Blues begin the Super Rugby season is the youthfulness of their squad.

COMMENT: Unless All Blacks captain-in-waiting has concussion issues, there is no excuse for him missing the opening to the 2016 Super Rugby season, writes Chris Rattue.

And so the annual Super Rugby grumble has begun, writes Sumo.

All Blacks flanker now facing the reality of the most unenviable role in New Zealand sport: filling the boots of one Richard Hugh McCaw ONZ.

To wear a Chiefs jersey in the 2016 Super Rugby season, it almost seems a player must tick one of two boxes: be a debutant or an All Black.

It's nearly seven months after Tana Umaga was announced as new coach of the Blues and he is sitting in a cafe at Alexandra Park Raceway in Auckland's Greenlane.

For Chiefs hooker Nathan Harris, he's happy to be back at training since he missed the entire campaign last year after badly damaging his ankle.

New coach Tana Umaga has endorsed Ihaia West as the man to play the pivotal first five position for the Blues.