High expectations and standards are key elements of the Blues run of form which continued when beating the Hurricanes 30-20 in their Super Rugby Aotearoa game at Eden Park on Sunday.
It stretched the Blues record to five consecutive wins when including the earlier Super Rugby games.
But coach Leon MacDonald said coming out of lockdown there had been renewed vigour in the side's approach which had been a pleasing development.
MacDonald said there had been some good thrust and counter-thrust from the sides during the first half which laid the foundation for a thrilling second half, however, the momentum never built up.
"I don't think either team were able to string phases together without infringements. We are learning our way there and hopefully, we will get more continuity next week," he said.
MacDonald was impressed with the way the side's three-quarters took advantage of opportunities, especially in the dry conditions with wings Caleb Clark and Mark Telea and centre Rieko Ioane dangerous when having chances.
They had been supported well by both fullback Beauden Barrett and first five-eighths Otere Black who drove the side around the field well.
"We played some good, smart rugby in that second half that wore them down," he said.
Barrett had been outstanding with his line-kicking and some of his tactical kicking and there had been an air of confidence in the side.
MacDonald was also pleased that in adjusting to the law interpretations being applied, the Blues had not conceded penalties in the wrong parts of the field. They had been able to work themselves into positions to put pressure on the off-side line and to score from chances.
But, he said, both sides would feel there had been some rust in their first performance back in the season.
MacDonald felt there was still some settling in to be down around the laws, both from players and the referees. But there had been a 25-minute period in the first half when the Blues had managed to perform well to the changed requirements, especially at the breakdown.
That had created some continuity in play and the challenge would be to extend that period to the full 80 minutes of play.
All teams would be looking at how referees were controlling games, they would be working on ways to improve and it was likely all sides would be better by the second round of games, he said.
Reflecting on the opening weekend of games, a world first, MacDonald said there were aspects of the games that were exciting and he said the try Hurricanes hooker Dane Coles had scored had been scintillating and some of the moves the Blues had put together had been just as good.
Hurricanes coach Jason Holland said some small parts of the Hurricanes game had been missing while the Blues had defended well. The Blues had been able to get momentum and control of the advantage line and with that penalties would most likely come.
"We didn't get gain-line, we got a few small things wrong around our lineout delivery, some basic errors in the contact area and the Blues defended well so you have to better than that to win in this competition," he said.
They had managed to do simple things well in the first half to score two good tries but had been guilty of going away from that and it cost them.
Holland said he had no problems with the refereeing of the game and with the intention on law interpretations it was a case of players and coaches adapting to the changed effects.
"I think there was a 15-14 penalty count but if you can be smart and get that penalty count down to eight or nine you will go a long way toward winning a game," he said.
All changed interpretations of laws involved a settling-in period and he was sure that would be the same this time around as well.