Brumbies 37
Blues 15
It was sporting euthanasia, a merciful end to the Blues' semifinal hopes which had been inflated by their bonus points.
They have won just five Super 14 matches this season but a double-digit collection of bonus points for tries and close defeats kept them in the race for the playoffs. That was until Saturday when the Brumbies' win ended any thoughts of a semifinal spot.
The Brumbies overturned a messy first half deficit to canter to victory in Canberra which kept them in the race for the finals and confirmed the Blues would be playing for nothing more than pride in their final round Eden Park match this Saturday against the Crusaders.
Beset by a swag of injuries, the Blues lost more troops and sank to a third consecutive defeat in Canberra but promised to make the Crusaders sweat buckets to qualify to defend their title this year.
That sort of buoyant chat has accompanied the Blues all year but their deeds have not matched their rhetoric. They were still in the battle for the final four until successive defeats against the Reds, Hurricanes and Brumbies.
As for the Crusaders game, victory without a bonus point may be enough for the champions to reach the playoffs.
"We are certainly going to give everything to try to win this last game," said Blues coach Pat Lam.
"It's always a huge game. When the fixtures came out it was a game that everyone was pretty excited about and we still are. I think we are more determined as a team to do well in that game."
The squad had 11 injured players unavailable for the Brumbies match and may have to add several more to that casualty list after medical checks today.
Centre Anthony Tuitavake and lock Jay Williams aggravated leg injuries. Justin Collins may return for a Super 14 swansong this weekend.
There were glimpses of the Blues' potential in the opening spell as Isaia Toeava made several telling bursts but they did not produce enough points against a stuttering Brumbies combination.
However that pattern altered after the break - Stirling Mortlock led the Brumbies' revival and the Blues fell into sloppy work.
"There were concentration lapses ... some poor decision making under pressure ... and the game got away on us," Lam agreed.
The Brumbies did not need a second chance and bounded away to their bonus point win.
Mortlock became the highest points scorer in Super rugby with 994, overtaking Andrew Mehrtens' 990, before he was assisted from the field after a shocking collision with Blues prop Tony Woodcock.
