Managing playing resources through the second half of the Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign is shaping as the test for all sides and was brought home to the Blues at their last training run ahead of their Saturday game with the Hurricanes in Wellington.
The long-awaited appearance of first five-eighths Dan Carter in the Blues jersey looked likely but no sooner had it been announced than he was pulled from the starting 23.
Carter was named on the Blues bench but pulled up with a tight calf during training. Matt Duffie took his place.
Blues coach Leon MacDonald said Carter was keen to get into the campaign, especially not having played rugby in New Zealand since 2015 and it felt the time was right to get him into the Hurricanes game. However, by acting early, it was more likely he would only be out for a few days rather than the several weeks had they decided to play him.
He added that there had been no pressure from Beauden Barrett to move into first five-eighths from his position at fullback. He was a team man and prepared to do what best suited the side, while it was also an acknowledgement that Otere Black was performing well in his role.
"Right now there is no need to change that, but it remains a week-by-week discussion," he said.
Dynamic No.8 Hoskins Sotutu was not available because he was having a knee injury scanned and team management were awaiting the results. That allowed Akira Ioane to have his first start in the position, a week after playing what MacDonald called his best game for the side since he had been coaching.
As sides head into the second half of the competition, MacDonald acknowledged the demands it was making.
"There is so much riding on every game. The first game was massive, the second game to back up against the Chiefs was massive, could we perform against the Highlanders and the Crusaders game was big. This is a little bit like the last four weeks, they are all big games, and they're all important. They're cut-throat, and there is so much riding on it.
"You've got to be nine out of 10 every week because if you drop down to a seven or an eight then you're in trouble. It's a massive challenge for every team fronting up every week and I know some guys, halfway through the competition, the injury toll is starting to get bigger. It's a brutal competition, but it's great," he said.
The Hurricanes were playing much more consistently than earlier, he said. They had been boosted by Jordie Barrett's return at fullback. Loose forward Ardie Savea was now showing the benefits of match play and having an impact on games. Halfback TJ Perenara was in good form and the side looked on top of their game, he said.
The teams are:
Hurricanes: 1.Ben May, 2.Dane Coles (captain), 3.Tyrel Lomax, 4.James Blackwell, 5.Scott Scrafton, 6.Reed Prinsep, 7.Du'Plessis Kirifi, 8.Ardie Savea, 9.TJ Perenara (captain), 10.Jackson Garden-Bachop, 11.Ben Lam, 12.Ngani Laumape, 13.Peter Umaga-Jensen, 14.Kobus van Wyk, 15.Jordie Barrett.
Substitutes: 16.Asafo Aumua, 17.Fraser Armstrong, 18.Alex Fidow, 19.Isaia Walker-Leawere, 20.Vaea Fifita, 21.Jamie Booth, 22.Billy Proctor, 23.Wes Goosen.
Blues: 1.Alex Hodgman, 2.Kurt Eklund, 3.Ofa Tuungafasi, 4.Patrick Tuipulotu, 5.Josh Goodhue, 6.Aaron Carroll, 7.Dalton Papalii, 8.Akira Ioane, 9.Finlay Christie, 10.Otere Black, 11.Mark Telea, 12.Harry Plummer, 13.Rieko Ioane, 14.Mark Telea, 15.Beauden Barrett.
Substitutes: 16.Tolai Luteru, 17.Marcel Renata, 18.Sione Mafileo, 19.Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 20.Tony Lamborn, 21.Jonathan Ruru, 22.TJ Faiane, 23.Matt Duffie.
Referee: Ben O'Keefe