The Blues will have the services of Simon Hickey, should they choose, right up to the May 31 clash with the Hurricanes.

A couple of New Zealand teams made real statements this weekend - the Blues and the Highlanders - and in completely different ways.

The Queensland Reds are poised to rush Wallabies breakaway Liam Gill back from injury as they attempt to dig their way out of a deepening Super Rugby hole.

Their form remains a concern but the number of Chiefs ruled out through concussion represents an additional headache for Dave Rennie.

The Western Force were left singing in the rain after producing their trademark grit in a 15-9 win over the Bulls in Saturday night's Super Rugby clash in Perth.

Blues captain Luke Braid's injured shoulder is likely to keep him out of the next game against the Reds.

Benji Marshall has gone, Baden Kerr has missed the entire season on the back of not much last year and Chris Noakes continues to graft around his limitations.

Simon Hickey is raw, likely to make a few critical mistakes and run down some dead alleys.

The sad business of Benji Marshall's failed code-hop has dangerously sharpened the focus on Blues coach John Kirwan, writes Paul Lewis.

The next fortnight for the Chiefs will be about surviving rather than thriving in an increasingly crowded New Zealand conference.

Richie McCaw is poised for a return to the Crusaders next week, an addition which will boost the team's increasingly competitive loose forward mix.

When Daniel Carter finishes his sabbatical towards the tail end of the Super 15, they should steer the All Black towards playing for the Blues.

The Highlanders are officially a rugby miracle after upsetting the pacesetting Sharks in Durban.

On a day of remembrance it was fitting that Jerome Kaino provided so many evocative glimpses of his former self.

Crusaders utility back Adam Whitelock is the surprise addition to the New Zealand Sevens squad for the World Series tournaments in Glasgow and London next month.

Join us here for today's live blog of the Super Rugby showdown between the Blues and the Waratahs from Eden Park in Auckland.

Face it, people: there is no escaping history today. Even that opening sentence is now in the past and you're still in the same paragraph. So, really history is always just behind you. History is time's version of stalking.

The description of a developing Blues first-five as a player with "X-factor" should probably start alarm bells following the Benji Marshall experiment.

No one should feel at ease, least of all the Blues today, when Israel Folau is primed for action.

The Crusaders' No10 has been the form first-five of the past few weeks of Super Rugby. So well has he played, in fact, that Steve Hansen and his brains trust could do worse than pencil him in to the All Black squad for the June series against England.