Rugby: Blues to take tougher line

Blues skipper Jerome Kaino says he's fine after a delayed reaction to his concussion. Photo / Getty Images

Kaino says they have to front up physically and leaders need to inspire younger guys

Jerome Kaino is back from his concussion problem and ready to lead a Blues team willing to take a physical approach against the defending champion Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday.

Kaino's head injury, suffered in the Lions defeat at North Harbour, caused him to miss the next week's loss to the Hurricanes in Palmerston North, but after the recent bye weekend, he and the rest of his team showed their intent with a tough training session in front of All Blacks assistant coach Ian Foster yesterday morning.

The brutal nature of the Waratahs' victory over the Brumbies at the weekend may have helped prompt some of that intent.

"We had a look at how the Waratahs fronted up and for us that's a non-negotiable. We have to front up physically," Kaino said.

"We've had a good rest, we've come off a bye, we're feeling fresh. It's good timing for us to get some physical work in. It was a good session."

Kaino said he was fine physically after suffering from a delayed reaction to his concussion. He passed a test during the disappointing 13-10 loss to the Lions and returned to the pitch, only for the symptoms to appear later in the week.

"I felt fine during the game, apart from the knock. It was a couple of days later that I started to feel the symptoms come on. It's scary when you think about the guys who have longer lay-offs and what they go through. I'm feeling fine now, thank goodness. I have faith in my medical team to put me back out there. I was pretty confident myself that I could go out there and perform at the time. I have no problems with the protocols or tests they have."

The mental state of the Blues skipper and his team is also crucial after a start to the season which has consisted of five defeats from five matches.

"The boys have been trying hard, we're improving every week but we just haven't managed to get that win. The boys know that what we've been doing works if we put an 80-minute performance together.

"The key is our leaders leading ... we have a lot of young guys in our squad who in these tough times look for direction and it's important we keep performing and setting that example, they'll follow and the results won't be too far away.

"I try to shut it [criticism] out, but living in Auckland it's everywhere. The harsh reality is we're in a results-based industry and we have to perform and if we don't we're open to that criticism."

Lock Culum Retallick is in line to play his first match of the season as Josh Bekhuis takes another week off after a concussion against the Hurricanes. Halfback Bryn Hall is out for eight weeks with a fractured foot playing club rugby.