Blues defeated but should take heart from performance that suggests not all is lost as season nears its climax.

The Crusaders have beaten the Blues 23-16 in a pulsating top-of-the-table clash at Alpine Energy Stadium in Timaru.

Most of the Timaru crowd will be rooting for the southerners in tonight's duel.

Every rejected rugby player relishes a second chance and Blues five-eighths Stephen Brett gets a double shot tomorrow.

Eight hopefuls, six playoff spots. Wynne Gray predicts how the rest of the Super 15 regular season will play out.

Luke McAlister had a night to forget on Saturday but how did his performance measure up against fellow first five-eighths?

It is never ideal to reverse into the play-offs but, with the Blues falling to their third consecutive defeat, that is what they are doing.

The Chiefs have beaten the Blues 16-11 in a tightly-contested match at Eden Park in Auckland.

Some might say the troubles have been hovering for the Blues, that the problems have not been too far from the surface.

Luke McAlister is back in favour at first five-eighths against the Chiefs on Saturday night.

Dylan Cleaver breaks down round 15 of the Super 15. Can the Hurricanes move off the bottom of the NZ conference?

Winger Joe Rokocoko will join fellow All Black Neemia Tialata at French Top 14 rugby club Bayonne after the World Cup.

The serious injury to fullback Isaia Toeava is hurting the Blues more than they suspected.

Stats guru Tracey Nelson crunches the numbers from the weekend's Super 15 action where missed tackles were on the up.

The Blues head into their bye in reflective mood after successive and contrasting defeats against the Reds and Stormers.

The Blues kept their rating as the top New Zealand side but lamented the concession of a late converted try after a rugged fightback last night from the Stormers.