Blues backs in a huddle during the Super Rugby Aotearoa defeat to the Crusaders. Photosport
Blues backs in a huddle during the Super Rugby Aotearoa defeat to the Crusaders. Photosport
Protect your turf. The Blues failed to do so on Sunday and in a five-team competition it's even more vital to win all your home games - especially when you're playing in the same competition as the Crusaders.
The weekend's defeat at Eden Park puts the Blues on the backfoot in hopes of hosting the final, let alone claiming the title.
If the Blues are to hit back and even the ledger against the defending champions they need to do something they haven't in 17 years - win in Christchurch.
Leon MacDonald's side don't get that opportunity until April 25 and by then the Crusaders could have already locked up a home final or the Blues could have been overtaken by the Highlanders, Chiefs or Hurricanes.
But as it stands it appears the Crusaders and Blues are clearly the top two sides. And the Blues could feasibly get another three chances to beat the frontrunners.
This is where it gets murky. The Super Rugby Transtasman competition remains in the air as the two nations await an announcement of a bubble between New Zealand and Australia.
Without a bubble, the five New Zealand franchises will play a third round. Which would probably be only good news for the Hurricanes who are off to an 0-3 start but would mean four match-ups in 2021 between the top two New Zealand sides.
Blues backs in a huddle during the Super Rugby Aotearoa defeat to the Crusaders. Photosport
Like every other team in Super Rugby Aotearoa, the Blues have a Crusaders problem.
If anyone knows a thing or two about winning in Christchurch it's Blues coach and Crusaders champion MacDonald who has spoken in the past about making Eden Park a fortress. They've failed at their first real test in doing so and it leaves them with an even bigger task.
The Blues have lost 12 straight away games to the Crusaders, 11 in Christchurch and one in Timaru. Their last win was a 38-29 victory in 2004 which included a hat-trick for Rupeni Caucaunibuca and a number 10 battle between Dan Carter and Carlos Spencer.
In those 12 defeats the Blues have picked up just two competition points with seven of the losses by a margin of 13 and over.
The Crusaders have a staggering home record against New Zealand sides with a 19-match winning streak broken last year with a narrow defeat to the Hurricanes. The Chiefs last won there in 2016, while the Highlanders tasted success in 2015.
Probably the most astonishing stat is they are 24-0 in Super Rugby knockout games at home including six final victories.
In other words, don't expect to see them lose a home final.
