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The heat is on - quite literally - after the rugby season kicked off last night, with top teams devoting more effort than ever before to helping players overcome the energy-sapping summer temperatures.
Playing in the heat and high humidity has become a way of life for professional rugby players, and teams desperately seeking an edge over their opponents are developing their own strategies to cope with it.
Blues' team doctor Peter Coleman was reluctant to give too much away ahead of last night's Super 14 season-opener against the Crusaders, but he did confirm that managing the players in the heat was "something we consider a lot".
The Blues players were given urine tests during the week to check fluid levels and weighed before and after matches to see how much fluid they had lost that needed to be replaced.
Some players, especially the forwards, struggled more with the heat and therefore lost more fluid. Blues and All Blacks hooker Keven Mealamu was losing between 3 and 4kg during matches last year.
"Hydration, a few years ago, was unheard of," said Blues training and conditioning coach, Mark Harvey. "It was almost just a pie and a beer."
Times have changed.
"Each team has its own little things they won't share, but it's not rocket science," Mr Harvey said. "We cover the bases as we would any other important component going into the game or the season."
