KEY POINTS:
The Blues recorded their third loss in a row this morning, after being thrashed 40-19 by the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria.
Blues captain Troy Flavell couldn't put his finger on why his team's season had been spiralling downwards.
"We've found it quite hard," he told Supersport television.
"Our preparation's been great and tonight it was a case of handling errors really costing us again.
"In that second half the Bulls came up with some good defence and they really put the pressure on us and caused us to cough up that ball."
Flavell said it was time for his team to lift another level, just as their main rivals had been doing in recent weeks.
"It's the business end of the competition now and the Bulls played with that desperation, they played extremely well.
"We're still right in this competition and we've got to get on that plane and begin our prep for the Western Force.
"Composure and confidence are the words we've used within our environment and that's something we want to carry through to next week and put it on the field.
"It could be our last game next week, no one knows."
Bulls 40 (Wikus van Heerden, Pedrie Wannenburg, Fourie Du Preez, Heini Adams tries; Derick Hougaard 3 pen, 4 con, dropped goal)
Blues 19 (Troy Flavell try; Isa Nacewa 4 pen, con). Halftime: 20-9.
- NZPA
