Play nzherald.co.nz's rugby Pick the Score competition - go to: pickthescore.nzherald.co.nz
KEY POINTS:
If Keven Mealamu's leadership follows the pattern of his playing career, the Blues will have backed one winner.
Several seasons after he relinquished the captaincy, Mealamu is back in the top job after lock and former leader Troy Flavell took up a contract in Japan.
The Blues coaching staff will be hoping this reappointment mirrors Mealamu's career which stalled in 2001 and then reignited in 2002, when he had a season with the Chiefs.
The almost 30-year-old hooker had a difficult year leading the Blues in 2006, was passed over for two years for Flavell, but is now back as leader in Pat Lam's first year coaching in this competition.
In truth, Lam had few captaincy choices. He could have taken a punt on someone like repatriated senior lock Ali Williams but that risk might have been deemed one too many for the coach in the demands of his first season.
Seasoned flanker Justin Collins would have done the job very capably but there was no guarantee about his regular selection.
With those two discarded, Mealamu had to be chosen.
By nature Mealamu is a quiet man, a Christian man. Someone who has a kind nature and is happiest socially, in the company of his family. He does not need to be the centre of attention, there is no 'look at me, look at me' attitude about him.
His efforts are all about the team, what he can do for the greater good of the side rather than furthering his individual ambitions. Part of that is his selfless nature, part experience after a decade at the top.
He spent the bulk of last year as test deputy to Andrew Hore before the All Black hooker was injured in Hong Kong and Mealamu showed his talents in an extended patch of play.
Now more responsibility has been put on his 106kg frame as the Blues look once again for some spark, some formula to challenge for the Super title which they last won in 2003.
"Even in 2006 I still enjoyed leading the side," Mealamu said of his last leadership stint.
"There were a lot of new young guys then but I enjoyed it and I am sure I will again this season," he said before the side headed off to their first assignment tonight against the Force in Perth.
"The good thing is that a lot of the boys when I first captained the team, like Anthony Boric, have played a lot more footy and have made the All Blacks and know what it is about. They can take a bit more of a senior role now.
"It is hard when you see guys like Ali get injured but we can't control that and have to move on. The guys who step in just have to make sure they do a good job."
Mealamu did not return to New Zealand until mid-December after the All Blacks tour to the UK and Ireland, though his detour did not involve any selfish sightseeing. He met his family in Fiji where they enjoyed some restorative downtime with other All Black teammates.
Back home, he enjoyed pottering round in the garden and enjoyed time away from the rigours of his regular employment. Not that he neglected rugby altogether.
"I carried on with my training, kept going with my fitness because it is too hard to get it back if you let it lapse for a while," Mealamu said.
"We came back quite late as well into the Blues camp so it seemed, while we were training, that we had a nice break from rugby. I enjoyed New Year and then I suppose got back into the serious training."
The revamped draw has the Blues offshore for the first three weeks of the tournament with games against the Force, Bulls and Stormers before a return to play the Sharks who will already have acclimatised to New Zealand conditions.
"It is a tough start but as long as we build against the Force we should then be able to carry some momentum with us in Africa," Mealamu said.
"I think it should be a help stopping in Perth for a game rather than going all the way to Africa first."
He also felt that Lam's provincial background with many in the squad would help through the inevitable good and bad times during the season, he believed the coach understood the blend of emotional, supportive and dictatorial buttons he needed to push with his players.
Mealamu agreed it had been far too long since the Blues held or challenged for a title.
But he argued there was no point in dwelling on those failings, there had been so many changes down the years that the trick had to be about focussing on this season.
"If anything in the past I think we have maybe looked too far ahead instead of just working away on a week to week basis, dealing with each job as it comes.
"That is something I have learned about playing in any competition really."
"The secret is getting that togetherness, getting results which improve that even further and working hard for ourselves and each other."
