The selection headache has kicked in for Blues coach Pat Lam following his side's 36-22 defeat of the Hurricanes in their first Super 15 warm-up match at Whangarei's Toll Stadium today.
All Blacks Jerome Kaino and Anthony Boric started the match but Lam kept several other World Cup winners sidelined, including Piri Weepu, Ali Williams and Kevin Mealamu, allowing them more time off before starting another intensive year of rugby.
Their absence gave others a chance, including wider training group players, and many impressed Lam and left him feeling confident he has good depth ahead of the start of their Super 15 campaign against the Crusaders on February 24.
Hadleigh Parkes, who set Northland flanker Dan Pryor up for a try late, did a solid job at second five-eighths in the absence of All Black Ma'a Nonu.
With Nonu's Japanese club side Ricoh Black Rams looking likely to make the finals, Nonu could be missing until round five.