KEY POINTS:
It was graduation time for the renovated All Blacks. Well almost. Only wing Joe Rokocoko was left to ponder his involvement from the Blues bench for the Good Friday joust with the Cheetahs.
But the three forwards from the conditioning programme - Keven Mealamu, Tony Woodcock and Ali Williams - have all been required in a side which has seven changes from the last selection against the Chiefs.
Captain Troy Flavell returns at lock after his fitness problems, likewise wing Anthony Tuitavake, midfielder Sam Tuitupou replaces the injured Luke McAlister and Steve Devine and Justin Collins are others asked to take up the cause.
McAlister was back with the squad yesterday, after surgery on his fractured left cheekbone, and is expected to be playing this month.
Tuitupou spoke to the squad about his end of year departure for the Worcester club in England and promised his commitment to the Blues would not slacken in the push to host a semifinal.
Coach David Nucifora did not think there would be too much disruption to the backline as Tuitupou was an experienced player and had been involved in enough matches this year to have sorted out decent combinations with Isa Nacewa and Isaia Toeava. When he came on against the Chiefs last week, Tuitupou showed few signs of lack of matchplay.
After taking a slowly-does-it approach with his protected All Blacks, Nucifora has decided to send them out first against the Cheetahs.
"It is time and we still have firepower on the bench," he said.
Flavell had trained twice without worries from the groin strain which eliminated him from the last match. He would lock the scrum with Williams in an arrangement which showed the coach's faith in his squad and wish to share their workload.
"Greg Rawlinson was probably our standout player last weekend so he deserves a rest," Nucifora said.
"He ... will have another opportunity soon."
Williams' absence on All Black duty had spurred Rawlinson and Flavell. The Super 14 defection of the injured Chris Jack did not offer the three locks in the Blues any extra chance of national selection - they had to show they were ready by playing consistently.
This tail-end of the Super 14 was the time to make performances count for the Blues and impress the All Black panel for the intensity and pressure of these games compared favourably with test football.
Blues v Cheetahs
Eden Park, 7.35pm Friday
15 Ben Atiga
14 Doug Howlett
13 Isaia Toeava
12 Sam Tuitupou
11 Anthony Tuitavake
10 Isa Nacewa
9 Steve Devine
8 Jerome Kaino
7 Daniel Braid
6 Justin Collins
5 Troy Flavell (c)
4 Ali Williams
3 John Afoa
2 Keven Mealamu
1 Tony Woodcock
Reserves: Derren Witcombe, Nick White, Greg Rawlinson, Angus Macdonald, David Gibson, David Holwell, Joe Rokocoko.
