Sonny Bill Williams is poised to return to the Blues after being out for seven weeks with a wrist injury.
If the All Blacks midfielder does take the field against the Hurricanes at Eden Park on Friday it will be a welcome comeback; if he starts in the No12 jersey it will necessitate a re-shuffle to a young but improving combination between Rieko Ioane and Orbyn Leger; both of whom excelled against the Waratahs in Sydney.
Ioane's pace and power on attack at Brookvale Oval was again a major weapon for the Blues, but his defence in the final, frantic moments of the 24-21 victory, just the Blues' third of the season, was just as important. His bootlaces tackle on a threatening Israel Folau will live long in the memory.
That defensive commitment applied too to 21-year-old Leger, the son of former Tonga centre Gus, who, along with fellow youngsters Caleb Clarke – a 19-year-old on debut on the left wing, and right wing Tumua Manu, 25, defused the twin dangers of Folau and the giant Taqele Naiyaravoro admirably.
The Ioane/Leger midfield has been a work in progress for Umaga, who is convinced Ioane can excel while he learns the trade at second-five and adapt again when he goes back to the left wing for the All Blacks.