KEY POINTS:
No directives from the All Black selectors and no conflict either, says Blues coach David Nucifora after he bypassed the reconditioned test players for Friday's Super 14 challenge against the Waratahs.
As the Crusaders and Hurricanes filled their starting sides from the Cotton Wool Club , the Blues ignored all but hooker Keven Mealamu who will get some time from the bench.
Wing Joe Rokocoko is still recovering from an ankle strain, and loosehead prop Tony Woodock and lock Ali Williams will be playing club rugby this weekend rather than for the Blues on Friday at Eden Park.
Nucifora's decision was the latest shock in a season in which the Blues have continued to surprise.
They have reversed the stuttering start they made to last year's campaign, and are in second place behind the Sharks.
That revival, in part, helped Nucifora work out the timetable for re-introducing his All Black quartet.
"We are also very conscious that this team is not just about four players, this team is about our whole squad," he said. "Right from the start we had a plan for how we would go about this, and the other players have been doing the job and doing a very good job.
"A lot of what we are doing is about managing people. I think everyone was aware it would take a few weeks to integrate the players."
Woodcock's inability to play in a trial match last week did not help his selection cause for Friday and
there was no guarantee the Blues would pick their All Blacks to start next week.
After their bye, the Blues have made five changes from the side which beat the Lions. Fullback George Pisi, five eighths Isa Nacewa, halfback Steve Devine, flanker Angus Macdonald and loosehead prop Chris Heard replace Ben Atiga, David Holwell, David Gibson, Nick Williams and the injured Saimone Taumoepeau.
Nucifora said No 8 Williams was unlucky after his storming work against the Lions. He had produced everything the coaching staff had demanded but his time would come again soon.
The dismal form of the Waratahs had not affected the Blues' team selection, Nucifora said. Some players, such as Devine and Pisi would benefit from matchplay, and Heard had shown his aptitude coming from the bench in earlier matches.
Captain Troy Flavell said the bye could slow the Blues' momentum, but the players needed to freshen as they were showing signs of fatigue from a gruelling series.
There was also the danger of complacency, of under-estimating the Waratahs, who named an unchanged side yesterday. They had not produced much form this season but it was only last year that they thrashed the Blues 43-9 in Sydney.
Last year's skipper Mealamu said he just wanted to get back into match practice and concentrate on playing good football.
"I want to be narrow-minded and shut out all the talk about the Rugby World Cup," he said.
Nucifora said the returning All Blacks faced huge expectations and some unrealistic ideas that they would be sharp from their first game.
"Super 14 is not the best environment to use as a trial game especially in round eight of the competition," he said.
"We think managing them this way gets the best out of them at the back end of the season."
