Super Rugby Aotearoa review: Enigmatic Blues take a major step backwards in sub-par campaign

Marc Hinton12:38, May 06 2021
Anthony Au-Yeung/Getty Images
With a 4-4 record, and third-place finish, the Blues have to be disappointed with their Aotearoa campaign.
ANALYSIS: The great enigmas continue to confound. For all the promise dished up by last year’s breakthrough season, the Blues let some nasty old habits creep back in and took a major step backwards this Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign.
For the squad Leon MacDonald had assembled, even accounting for the sabbatical of star signing Beauden Barrett, a third-place finish at 4-4, and missing a spot in the final, represents a major failure. Factor in also they were effectively gifted their finale when Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan rightfully sent a B squad north for a match they didn’t have to win to qualify for the final.

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