Blues pack challenged to deliver on pedigree

The Blues coaches could not be clearer in their message, with five changes to their starting pack to face the Hurricanes at Eden Park tonight.

The big boys have been challenged to deliver as the Blues face a crucial juncture in their Super Rugby Aotearoa season.

They suffered a second successive defeat last Saturday night in Hamilton when a last-minute Damian McKenzie try denied them a victory they scarcely deserved on the back of a fumbling, off-key performance. At 2-2, they are now locked in a tight battle for second, and a spot in a final that will almost certainly be played in Christchurch.

It was notable that the Blues failed to make the impact expected in the forward battle against the Chiefs. Their scrum, with those four All Black props, had been disappointing. They lost three lineouts on their own throw. Even that power-packed loose trio, with the exception of the outstanding Dalton Papalii, fell well short of their own high standards.

The result has been seven changes in total to the starting XV to face the Canes, five of them coming up front.

‘‘The performance overall against the Chiefs was disappointing, especially at set piece, our lack of accuracy and discipline,’’ head coach Leon MacDonald said.

Skipper Patrick Tuipulotu sits out this week to rest a bruised shoulder but the other changes are discretionary. All Black props Karl Tu’inukuafe and Ofa Tuungafasi come in charged to lead a response at scrum time; Gerard Cowley-Tuioti and rookie Sam Darry form a new-look second row; and explosive firebrand Tom Robinson assumes, not just the No 6 jersey (in Akira Ioane’s stead),

but the captaincy as well.

Assistant coach Tana Umaga continued his head coach’s theme when talking about the changes (halfback Sam Nock and second five-eighth TJ Faiane are the other two) and whether they were about responding to a sub-par performance or injecting some much-needed freshness.

‘‘We’ve taken all those factors into account,’’ the Blues’ defence guru said. ‘‘We didn’t play well. We’ve got to earn the right to put the jersey on, to be selected. And the team selected has got to earn the right on the field to get what we want.’’

The truth of the matter is the Blues need to knuckle down and walk before they run. This is a franchise with ambitions of grandeur, but they have yet to show they can grind their way to victories in tight matches on a consistent basis. Last weekend they turned down six kickable penalties in a fruitless quest for tries via the lineout, and that came back to burn them badly at the finish.

‘‘This competition is like test match rugby and in test matches you take points on offer,’’ growled Umaga. ‘‘We’ve got to make sure we’ve learnt from that.’’

MacDonald, normally so positive, was also clear with his messaging. ‘‘We are primed to get back on track with a much better all-round performance.’’

The return at No 12 of Faiane, a talisman for the Blues, should help. Harry Plummer’s defence down the inside channels was exposed early last week and the Auks must tighten that against the threat of Ngani Laumape, Jordie Barrett and co.

‘‘He brings energy, and a real nous,’’ said Umaga. ‘‘He’s coming off long-term injury, and we’ve tried to play him back into form ... we’ve got our experienced 12 in, and he’s going to bring that leadership that helps us get what we want.’’

The Hurricanes understand fully what’s coming their way. Off the back of their first win of the season, and that 30-point haul from Barrett, they are braced for a physical examination at the hands of that big home pack. The Blues will want to put the dangerous visiting backs on starvation rations.

‘‘The Blues will be firing after their result last week,’’ said Canes captain Ardie Savea. ‘‘We know what’s coming and we know they’re excited to be playing at home. But this is an important game for us too.

‘‘We’ve got to be on point because any moment we switch off and give them a sniff, we’ll be punished. It’s about nailing our job for the full 80 and being up for the challenge.’’