COMMENT: Blues coach needs to get tough and find alternative troops who have stomach for battle and are willing to show fight.

COMMENT: Chris Rattue's article is timely and sums up well the key points many have been talking about for a while.

CHRIS RATTUE: Apart from the basketballers, Auckland's professional sports teams are basket cases.

The Blues trudged off from Ellis Park in South Africa having conceded seven tries, while scoring only one.

Live updates of the Super Rugby clash between the Blues and the Lions.

It has been one month short of two years since their last away victory, but the Blues have finally won another match on the road.

Just as there are swing states in the United States election, so too are there players whose form will have a significant bearing on the make-up of the All Blacks squad for the Wales tour to be announced at the end of this month.

By the end of this campaign, the Blues could be a side with intriguing prospects for 2017.

The news that the Blues tried to lure Damian McKenzie to Auckland from the Chiefs with the promise of the No 10 jersey will have done little to reassure Ihaia West of his future at the franchise.

The Blues are hoping some new medical tech will help spark better injury recovery on their long haul South Africa trip.

Prediction time: the Blues will beat the Kings in Port Elizabeth this weekend and thus break their away match hoodoo stretching back to June 2014.

The Blues have quickly reminded themselves about the need for a ruthless attitude this week.

The Blues leave for a two-match tour of South Africa at 7am today and will step on to the plane with a small degree of satisfaction and a large degree of relief.

The Blues hold on for the win at Eden Park after a late comeback from the Rebels.

Being fifth in the New Zealand Conference is not necessarily evidence that the Blues are in the midst of a disastrous campaign.

One thing in particular should be occupying the minds of the Blues - rediscovering their attacking mojo.

A former Blues rugby player has been remembered as a great athlete and family man at the school where his athletic prowess first began to thrive.

EXCLUSIVE: Tana Umaga's worst fears have been confirmed - his star centre's season is over due to a ruptured ACL ligament in his left knee.

Former Blues rugby player Kurtis Haiu, who died after a prolonged battle with cancer, always put his family's needs first, says his grieving wife.

Volunteer work in Kenya was an eye-opener for Michael Hobbs, writes Patrick McKendry.

How things unfolded in the Super Rugby clash between the Blues and the Sharks.