The blues latest plucky 18-17 win against the Stormers has now given them a quintet of triumphs in this tournament.

If the Hurricanes look a long way into the distance they might be able to make out the Super Rugby playoffs.

The Blues have been careful not to brand 2013 a development season, even though it has been.

Five points safely in the bag and yet the Chiefs left Melbourne with questions unanswered about their defence and a sense of confusion about the TMO rulings.

Israel Dagg's drop to the bench for today's match between the Crusaders and Brumbies speaks to a bigger, wider problem worrying a lot of rugby folk lately: the poor form of many All Blacks.

Project Ben is still going and the odds of success - of turning Ben Tameifuna into a world-class hybrid front-rower - have risen.

The pain of another close Super Rugby loss has been eased for the Rebels by the re-signing of athletic Wallaby back-rower Scott Higginbotham to the end of 2015.

Shortly after Dan Carter expressed his delight at returning to the Crusaders' starting line-up against the Brumbies, he mentioned how once again the men from Canberra are the team to beat, just as they were at the start of his career.

Younger All Black prospects will get their chance at several training camps this month. But when that group is cropped for the June test series against France, all the established All Blacks will be picked to restate their international credentials.

Controversial Wallaby back Kurtley Beale made a stirring return to Super 15 action as the Chiefs defence of their Super 15 crown kept moving forward in an unconvincing fashion in Melbourne last night.

The Blues held on for a gritty 18-17 win over the Stormers at North Harbour Stadium tonight.

Join us here for our live blog of the Super 15 clash between the Blues and the Stormers from North Harbour Stadium in Auckland.

Tracey Nelson looks the key statistics ahead of this week's Super 15 fixtures as the Blues look to end a losing run against the Stormers.

Richard Kahui's career hangs in the balance after yet another shoulder injury, which has left him "incredibly disappointed and frustrated", says Chiefs coach Dave Rennie.

If there is a God - he hasn't heard of Richard Kahui, or maybe he has and has taken a rather spiteful view of the Chiefs midfielder, writes Gregor Paul.

After Brodie Retallick's stunning first Super Rugby season which resulted in an All Blacks call-up, second time around was always going to be bit of a challenge.

Wallabies star Kurtley Beale has returned from his disciplinary suspension and resumed training with Super 15 strugglers the Rebels.