Queensland flanker Liam Gill admits the Reds' desperately poor Super Rugby campaign could cost him and teammates Rugby World Cup spots.

Charles Piutau is still in the All Black frame, but Francis Saili's career has gone mostly downhill.

Francis Saili is heading offshore later this year.

When you're bottom of the pile, you are usually there for some reason. It's no accident you are gazing up at every other team after seven rounds of competition, writes Wynne Gray.

Those nagging goal-kicking issues won't go away for New Zealand first fives Beauden Barrett and Aaron Cruden in this year's Super Rugby competition.

Anyone looking at the 2015 Super Rugby points table would rate the Brumbies to spoil the Blues opening season foray on to Eden Park on Friday night in Auckland.

Brodie Retallick's return from injury against the Blues illustrated just why an offshore move could prove an appealing prospect.

Justin Marshall writes: If the Blues are going to break their drought before it reaches double figures, it has to be this Friday night at Eden Park.

Yet another narrow defeat left Sir John Kirwan sure of one thing - sooner or later the Blues are going to make another team pay. And sooner would be preferable.

Charles Piutau will be a loss to New Zealand rugby, of that there is no doubt, but the last couple of nights have provided ample evidence that the loss will soon be forgotten.

Nearly every player is an All Black and only the No15 jersey is up for grabs each week. Nehe Milner-Skudder is on the way to making that fullback spot his own and could be an All Black one day, too.

It's become a painful business watching the season play out for the Blues, writes Gregor Paul.

Join us here for tonight's live blog of the Super Rugby showdown between the Chiefs and the Blues from Waikato Stadium in Hamilton.

Herald columnist Justin Marshall identifies the three big match-ups that will determine tonight’s northern derby.

Trace the Blues' fluttering form and you could settle on events in the middle of 1998 as the birth of their professional rugby problems.

After missing five weeks - the longest injury lay-off of his professional career - Retallick is back to bolster a Chiefs team that have struggled for consistency in recent weeks.

The Hurricanes are yet to taste defeat in 2015 and tonight’s 25-20 win over the Stormers in Wellington took them to their seventh win on the bounce.

Charles Piutau yesterday spoke publicly for the first time since signing with Irish club Ulster rather than the Blues.

Slow to start before bubbling towards the playoffs.

Charles Piutau will be lost to the All Blacks next year, but maybe not the Blues.

Sam Cane's outstanding season is set to enter uncharted territory against the Blues on Saturday night.