Well, not too much crowing from Blues fans after their win over the Waraths last night, and rightly so.  From the amount of possession and breaks they made, the game should have been put away, and by many more points, before the first half was over.  The 34-6 score line was not really a reflection of the game, as if you watched the highlights, sans the scoring moves, you would think that at least 50 or 60 points would have been racked up.

Full credit though (to borrow a Fitzy-ism) to the Tahs for their defensive effort.  They tackled themselves to a standstill.  Just as well to, as if they hadn't, a Crusaders type score could have been in the offing, as the Blues were offloading and hitting gaps like there was no tomorrow.  Thanks to forcing a few passes when the option wasn't on, and great defence, the score didn't sky rocket!

Just goes to show to, how much defence has improved over the last few seasons too.  Both teams last night were massive in the tackle area.  blues more so obviously as the Tahs never even looked like scoring a try, let alone break the advantage line.

So a solid win all the same, but could have been, and should have been put away earlier - perhaps the lack of experience in the driving seats of 10 and 12 showed through a bit here.  That and the excitement of the close quarter offloading game working, and working well leading to the many forced passes that didn't (work that is), and the score not mounting as it could.

Well, not too much crowing from Blues fans after their win over the Waraths last night, and rightly so.  From the amount of possession and breaks they made, the game should have been put away, and by many more points, before the first half was over.  The 34-6 score line was not really a reflection of the game, as if you watched the highlights, sans the scoring moves, you would think that at least 50 or 60 points would have been racked up.

Full credit though (to borrow a Fitzy-ism) to the Tahs for their defensive effort.  They tackled themselves to a standstill.  Just as well to, as if they hadn't, a Crusaders type score could have been in the offing, as the Blues were offloading and hitting gaps like there was no tomorrow.  Thanks to forcing a few passes when the option wasn't on, and great defence, the score didn't sky rocket!

Just goes to show to, how much defence has improved over the last few seasons too.  Both teams last night were massive in the tackle area.  blues more so obviously as the Tahs never even looked like scoring a try, let alone break the advantage line.

So a solid win all the same, but could have been, and should have been put away earlier - perhaps the lack of experience in the driving seats of 10 and 12 showed through a bit here.  That and the excitement of the close quarter offloading game working, and working well leading to the many forced passes that didn't (work that is), and the score not mounting as it could.

The players.  Well, they all shone really didn't they, don't think there was a dud game from any of the Blues players.  In the decision making as the game wore on, but other than that, was tickety boo - who needs the new and improved All Blacks!

George Pisi:  Like trying to catch a feather in a hurricane for the Tahs at times while carrying the ball back.  Showed good strength in breaking tackles.  Rarely tested in defence though, like most of the Blues players.

Doug Howlett:  The best wing in New Zealand today, and perhaps in the whole of the Super 14 at the moment.  His hunger for the ball, both on attack and defence is massive - this lad wants to go to the RWC, and is making every game a winner at the moment.  He also seems to have added a nasty streak in his defensive game, he is hitting players and hurting them - it's all good for the Blues on the right wing at the moment.

Isaia Toeava:  See, all he needed was game time!  Toeava should probably have been playing NPC last season while the All Blacks were battling the Tri Nations - game time for this kids is the key I reckon.  Best game of the season from Toeava (I refuse to call him 'Ice', as that is too close to the 'Iceman', Micheal Niko Jones, and there can be only one), he lost the gumboots for hands gig, and was lethal.  His 'match up' with Lota(hype) Tuqiri was a nothing, as Tuqiri failed to show anything that you would expect from a player of his alleged class and ability.  but I'm not here to sledge Tuqiri too much, this is Toeava time!  The boys coming right, and for mine, looking more and more like a RWC centre.  His defence last night was top notch, handling fine, option taking good.  Is just getting better and better the more time he spends in the 12 jersey.  Plenty of time there during the Tri Nations please Cartel!

Luke McAlister:  The lad is the goods too isn't he.  If Mauger falls over, this Blues midfield combination could be trotting out onto the fields of France to do battle for World Cup glory.  In this game though he got a bit excited when the gaps started opening in the Tahs defence, and the 50/50 offloads started coming out too often (as they did for all the Blues players).  Exhibited all his usual brute force and pace to break tackles, and until he contracted 'miraclepassitus', his option taking was pretty spot on - tidy.

Rudi Wulf:  Didn't actually see too much of Mr Wulf during the game, play didn't seem to run his way.

Isa Nacewa:  Tidy, quiet, not one of his better games though, just did the basics and that was about it.

Steve Devine:  Best game from the Aussie battler for a fair while - or at least, his best running game.  Loved sniping off the fatties when they broke the first lines of defence, and showed plenty of toe when he scored his try from a good 40 metres out, escorted to the line by Kurtly Beale for the whole way.  Defence must be something that Beale will work on next season...

Jerome Kaino:  Not one of his better games at eight, but still got through a power of work for 80 minutes, and took a swag of lineout pill.  Like Toeava, time on the field is making the talented man a better player.  No injuries, and constant time in the combat zone that modern rugby is, is making him finally realise that potential he was picked for the All Blacks on a few years back.  Any injuries to the New an Improved All Blacks and he'll be straight into that RWC squad.

Daniel Braid:  Holy hobbit Batman!  Best game from the Tolkienesque flanker for a long time.  Was into everything, was the first man at almost every tackle made in the entire match, or so it seemed, and his grovelling for the ball in the tackle was a standard above where he was last season.  Support play was his normal high standard too - that part of his game has always been first class.  Mind you, his pace around the field, which appeared superhuman at times, was helped no end by the Tahs playing two number eights and a blindside flanker in their loose trio, and the two eights have never been accused of being overly mobile in the loose exchanges.  So the battle for the loose ball was not really a battle, more of a walk over, and Braid led the way.

Angus Macdonald:  Started with a hiss and a roar, and was tidy throughout, but not a standout game from the hard working flanker.

Troy Flavell:  Two try Troy (and wasn't that second try sweet, as much for the intelligence of the move called as anything, as an inside from a scrum where the opposition is not packing down a number eight is always going to set up a try) was once again, everywhere doing everything.  Just can't wait until next week when hopefully, Nucifora will unleash him in the 6 jersey, with Williams and Rawlinson packing down in the second row.  Brain farts a thing of the past on the field at the moment from the angry man, and he's looking more and more like a World Cup player to me.

Greg Rawlinson:  The big Boer brute is back to his best too.  Playing with the sort of form that two season ago made him one of the best locks in New Zealand.  However, that was before he had gained residency, and was not able to play for the All Blacks.  Last season when he did play, he was not at that level.  He is now again playing out of his skin, and unfortunately, he will probably miss out again!  Anyway, Clutch Cargo was into everything in the tight battle, and displayed some nice touches and passes too, setting Devine away for his try, and freeing the ball to Witcombe at the start of the movement that led to the first Flavell try.  Ran with the ball more in the open in this game than I have seen him in the past two seasons.  Enjoying his rugby at the moment, and playing well.

John Afoa:  A bit quite from Afoa, solid at scrum time, applied himself at the coalface diligently, which was good to see, but few chances with the ball in hand this week.  Mind you, ALL the Blues forwards were galloping around like Hippos on speed this week, so a bit hard to shine.  Probably enjoyed the freedom to be a prop and hit rucks and mauls all day!!

Derren Witcombe:  Forgot to take his angry pills this week, and played a bloody good game.  His best game of the season by a country mile I thought.  Buried himself in the tight doing the right things, and was rewarded with some good ball carries as a result.  The new and improved Mealamu sitting on the bench the sting that he needed to pull finger I expect.

Chris Heard:  Solid at scrum time once he and Smiley Baxter sorted out their shit (bind on the JERSEY Al, not the arm, simple concept, but hard to grasp, obviously, for a frontranker).  Around the field the tyupical modern prop.  Making tackles, carrying the ball and making passes (not so typical), and making a nuisance of himself at ruck and maul.  A pretty handy player, BUT, Nucifora, he ain't no Woodcock!!

New and Improved Watch:  Kevin Mealamu.  Disappointed.  Didn't score three length of the field tries.  Didn't leap any tall buildings in a single bound.  And didn't hit any lineout targets with his first couple of throws!!  Although that, I think, was because the rest of the Blues forwards were whispering the calls, testing his new and improved hearing powers...  Other than the lineout gips (thanks no doubt to not having played yet this season), seemed his normal busy self around the field,  Stoked no doubt to be in action again.

All in all, an enjoyable match to watch, and as I mentioned above, proof positive that defence is getting better and better.  Dominance from one side as in this game would have led to massive scores in years gone by - in the mid 90s this game would have probably topped a hundred bloody points!!