View photosKEY POINTS:
A blue foot has been poking through the Super 14 semifinal door for several weeks.
Last night Troy Flavell's size 12 shoved it wide open as the competition leaders moved to 36 points with an emphatic win over the Cheetahs.
The only semi-reliable gauge on how many points are required for the playoffs is last year.
The Bulls qualified fourth on 38 points.
The Blues host the Sharks next weekend before heading to South Africa. Short of a serious falling off in form, the semifinals are certain.
The key is now to ensure they make the top two to host a semifinal at Eden Park on May 11-12. Chip away a few more points in the next four weeks and that should be assured.
The template which has been so reliable this season was again in place; bruising defence and enterprising backline work which, 11 minutes after halftime, produced one of the tries of the year.
Lively flanker Daniel Braid snaffled an overcooked Cheetahs lineout throw in the Blues 22, Isaia Toeava made a cutting run. Ben Atiga and Braid had hands in the movement before Anthony Tuitavake sped 30m to the left corner.
That sealed it, although it had been obvious for some time that the only issue at stake was whether the Blues would get four or five points from the game.
For most of the first half, it seemed a question of when, not if, the Cheetahs line would break. Yet at the interval, the Blues had only two tries to show for their work.
Toeava is making an eloquent statement this season, as if to stress the point that the All Black selectors, who have long sung his praises to a sceptical public, know what they're on about.
He set up the first try in the third minute, skipping round two attempted tackles to set up Steve Devine with an inpass.
As things stand, if the All Black first choice XV was named today, Toeava would be in it.
And here's a thought: what chance the first choice World Cup tight five comprising four of last night's Blues tight forwards: Tony Woodcock and Keven Mealamu in the front row alongside Highlanders rock Carl Hayman, and Ali Williams and Troy Flavell in behind?
Howlett, in his 100th appearance, increased the margin 3 minutes from the break, Tuitavake skipping round to take Toeava's short pass and give Howlett an easy run in.
The Cheetahs began showing a bit of enterprise in the last 15 minutes of the half, and threw it about in the second spell, but much of it looked a bit laboured.
Tuitavake's try wrapped it up, the remaining interest coming with Joe Rokocoko's first sighting of the year, for the final 20 minutes, and the hunt for a bonus point fourth try. They didn't get it, which was the only point of dissatisfaction.
The Cheetahs? Lock Corniel van Zyl, flanker Duane Vermeulen and wing Eddie Fredericks were lively and captain Ollie le Roux cut a distinctive figure. Somewhere in Bloemfontein there is a baker wondering where his pies have gone. Amiable Ollie is prime suspect.
Blues: (S. Devine, D. Howlett, A. Tuitavake tries; I. Nacewa 3 pen, 1 con)
Cheetahs: (R. van der Merwe try; H. Kruger pen). HT: 16-3
The Run Home
Blues games to the playoffs:
* Saturday: v Sharks, North Harbour
* April 22: v Stormers, Cape Town
* April 28: v Bulls, Pretoria
* May 4: v Force, Perth
