Super Rugby: 'The boys are hurting' - Sonny Bill Williams reveals how teammate's death brought Blues closer

The Blues beat the Sunwolves at QBE Stadium for their first win of the season. Photo / Getty images

Before the Blues stepped out on to the pitch to face the Jaguares in Argentina last weekend, they were told their teammate Mike Tamoaieta had died.

It was a devastating blow.

The Blues lost the game and on their arrival home, it wasn't just their next fixture that was on their minds.

The team bid farewell to Tamoaieta on Friday at his funeral, before paying tribute to him at QBE Stadium before their win over the Sunwolves on Saturday.

Speaking after the match, Blues captain Sonny Bill Williams acknowledged that although they picked up their first win of the season, the side was hurting.

"The last couple of weeks have been really tough for us," Williams said. "We just tried to take that heavy heart, clear mind attitude into training and into games.

"I'm always one to acknowledge that it is only a game and the last couple of weeks have shown that. For me, seeing the boys come together and the camaraderie the boys showed to each other, obviously some of the boys were a lot closer to Mikey than others and have taken it a little bit harder, but I think it showed how tight we are as a group, as a team, as a club and it's just cool to see.

"(But) it is only a game at the end of the day and at the funeral it was pretty tough; some things that happened, some footage that we saw - it touches you. For myself, we honour that by showing how grateful we are to firstly be pro sportsmen and do what we love doing, but cherish our family members, cherish our kids, cherish our mums and dads."

With emotions riding high following his sudden death, it was fitting the side met the Sunwolves at North Harbour's QBE Stadium on Saturday, where Tamoaieta plied his trade in the Mitre 10 Cup.

It looked as though their tough times weren't quite over as play got underway, but the hosts roared to action to secure a 28-20 win – with Tamoaieta's No.276 emblazoned on their jerseys.

"The boys are hurting. We're hurting for Mikey's family, for his little one. We just tried to go out there and put on a performance for Mikey that he would appreciate and, as you saw at the scrum, the boys really got up for that."