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KEY POINTS:
Bring back the glory days of the Blues I say, when the team was renowned for its flamboyance and ability to do things off the cuff.
Those were the days, when No 8 Zinzan Brooke would take a drop kick from halfway.
The Blues and Auckland have been hit hard by players moving overseas and it takes a season or two to rebuild.
Wouldn't it be great though if we could relive those famous times under an exciting new team headed by Pat Lam.
The Super 14 is upon us and tonight's match in Perth is a chance for the Blues to put a couple of disappointing seasons behind them and kick off with a win.
Despite the ructions that have been going on with John Mitchell and the Force, I believe the home side must be favoured to win in their own back yard, especially as they will be more used to the extreme heat.
I spoke to Lam on Wednesday night, to get a feel for the mood in the Blues camp, and they had been going through their skill drills in temperatures just over 40C.
We're struggling in only 25 or 26 degrees back in Auckland, so imagine what it is like to be dealing with that heat. It will be a tough test for the Blues.
But I am full of hope for this new Blues era.
They couldn't have asked for a better coach than Lam. A lot of people only see him as an NPC coach and it is easy to forget the vast experience he has already mustered for a relatively young man.
He has done a lot in a short space of time and, most importantly, come under the influence of some of the game's finest coaches, particularly Ian McGeechan and Graham Henry.
McGeechan is widely regarded for his work as coach of Scotland and the British Lions, and Lam was his right-hand man in his playing days at Northampton. And of course he has had a close relationship with Graham Henry.
Lam places a lot of emphasis on the team environment, trying to create a positive atmosphere where players take responsibility similar to the methods that Henry uses.
His training as a schoolteacher has given him the skills to be able to communicate clearly, and he also speaks the language of the boys which is very important.
Players have said they find him very down to earth and clear in what he wants.
Lam was an openside flanker/No 8 who loved to lurk out wide, seagulling, and waiting for the opportunities to score those glorious tries and he wants his players to achieve similar things.
But he knows the hard yards have to be won first.
I believe that the Super 14 will really suit his style, with players being given a licence to have a go, without being afraid of expressing themselves on the field. But at the same time, they will be aware of the consequences involved.
The Blues lineup in Perth is below full strength, with Ali and Jay Williams missing, along with with Jerome Kaino and Joe Rocokoco.
It presents a wonderful opportunity for some new talent though, and two players in particular I will watch with interest are the No 8 Chris Lowrey and wing Rene Ranger.
I haven't seen much of Lowrey but his name keeps popping up and by all accounts he has had a fantastic pre-season. This is the player that I know Lam is really excited about. Ranger has a unique way of playing and it is a wonderful opportunity for players such as Lowery and Ranger, making the run-on side for the opener.
The Blues strength is their front row, with All Blacks John Afoa, Keven Mealamu and Tony Woodcock, and if they fire up and find their form of late last year, the Force will have their work cut out.
A special word here on the Blues first five-eighths Tasesa Lavea. I feel that some coaches in the past have not understood how to bring the best out of his special talent, and Lam should be able to do this. Lavea can be a match turner, but he is not a traditional out-and-out first five-eighth. He needs the right players around him, and to be put in good positions without too much being asked of him.
There has been talk in recent days of Samoan rugby being revived by a rich backer. Samoa has problems every year putting a full strength side together because some European clubs don't want to release the players. The IRB needs to be clear about the rules, which state that players must be released.
It is a complex issue, and you can understand that clubs want value for the wages they pay. Hopefully a compromise can be reached. But actions speak louder than words and I fear that this could be just another case of more talk than action.
* Inga Tuigamala played 19 tests for the All Blacks.
