Ihaia West could be the next roll of the dice for the Blues as they seek a first five-eighths with the attacking instincts to ignite their backline.

Hurricanes lock Jeremy Thrush knows his best chance to remind the All Blacks selectors of what he can do will come on the field.

The competition to wear the No10 jersey for the All Blacks against England next month is wide open after Hurricane Beauden Barrett engineered a demolition of the Chiefs.

The Saturday evening clash between the Highlanders and Crusaders was a perfect showcase of NZ rugby, writes Justin Marshall. It showed the excitement and skill levels of Super Rugby at its best.

Dave Rennie described the Chiefs as "a distant third" in their heavy defeat against the Hurricanes but there was one bright spot amid the gloom.

Super Rugby's dreaded June hiatus won't be a thing of the past as plans to shift the international window to July have been rejected by the Six Nations.

Ihaia West may have done enough against the Sharks to be handed his first start for the Blues this week when they take on the Hurricanes.

Every nut-job and psycho in the Southern Hemisphere will have rejoiced having seen that Super Rugby values hamstrings more than it does heads.

He was sporting four stitches after the game but referee Glen "Jacko" Jackson's shiner had nothing to do with contentious calls in last night's Super 15 nailbiter.

A classic game and maybe the cruellest ending. Patrick Osborne was adjudged to have simultaneously placed the ball on the junction of both the goalline and touchline in the last act of the game.

The Crusaders v Highlanders was the game of the year so far. An absolute epic, ending with video referee Vinny Munro having to make one heck of a corner post decision

Rugby players often withdraw a little as their next match looms and the Sharks followed that pattern as last night's match with the Blues approached.

The Blues' hopes of making the playoffs were on a knife edge before last night's defeat to the Sharks. Now they have been filleted and sliced and diced for good measure by the men from Durban who look increasingly like championship material.

Jewels have been hard to locate this season with the Blues. Captain Luke Braid and sidekick loosie Jerome Kaino have glittered and there has been more of a shine about Ma Nonu's play.

Some felt Tim Nanai-Williams could have spent his bye week with the All Blacks. He felt like hitting the gym.

These last two weeks for the Blues have been a bit like watching the Titanic sink.

Watch a replay of our live blog of the Blues taking on the Sharks in Super Rugby action from Albany Stadium.

In looking forward to the remainder of the season, the Blues must glance back and ensure they don't repeat their finish to 2013.

Sorting the game plan and sifting the most suitable combinations will be the priorities for the New Zealand Under 20s when they face the Blues Development XV today at Mt Maunganui's Blake Park.