Rugby: Plenty for Kirwan to mull over on the way to Cape Town

Ihaia West notched up six penalties, a Blues record. Photo / Getty Images

With lock Patrick Tuipulotu on the brink of returning, John Kirwan's thoughts as he left Auckland yesterday for Sydney on the first leg of the Blues' journey to South Africa might have been how to quickly improve the output of his backline ahead of their match in Cape Town against the Stormers.

The forwards, after early reverses at scrum time against the Chiefs at North Harbour on Saturday, went on the offensive in the second half, aided hugely by All Blacks prop Charlie Faumuina.

His international teammate Tuipulotu will also help in the set piece after sitting out the Blues' 23-18 defeat.

"We showed some good signs at the set piece and contact area and they're important parts of the game," Kirwan said.

Centre George Moala's late withdrawal from the starting line-up at QBE Stadium due to his knee injury didn't help matters for the Blues, and while his replacement Hamish Northcott was steady on debut, he lacks Moala's attacking threat.

The Blues gave up two soft tries in the first half to James Lowe and Bryce Heem before their fightback aided by Ihaia West's six penalties (a record for a Blues player) - and Kirwan stressed the need to banish those defensive lapses - but just as concerning must be the fact the Blues didn't get close to scoring a try.

Kirwan has pinned his hopes this season on first-five West, but he was outshone by his 19-year-old opposite Damian McKenzie. The Blues' best opportunity of the match when they were hard on attack was wasted by West, who opted for a poorly directed cross-kick rather than possession.

It will be another learning experience for 23-year-old West, who made his Super Rugby debut last year, but Kirwan might opt to look at Dan Bowden during their South Africa tour - the Blues play the Cheetahs in Port Elizabeth following the Stormers. Bowden was deemed fit to travel after recovering from a foot strain.

In fullback Lolagi Visinia and wings Tevita Li and Charles Piutau, the Blues have pace and power out wide; the task for West and company will be to unlock it.

Several stitches over an eye for Brendon O'Connor is about as bad as the injuries got for the Blues, who will be acutely aware of the challenge they face against a Stormers team which beat the Bulls 29-17 in Pretoria.

Last season Kirwan's team won only once away from Eden Park.

"It's a fantastic tournament already," he said. "I think we understand that winning away is a fundamental ingredient in making the top six so it's all on straight away.

"Individual errors in the first half cost us dearly," Kirwan said of the loss to the Chiefs.

"I was really pleased with the second-half fightback, I saw some real good stuff, but you can't make those sorts of errors against the Chiefs and get away with it."