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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. ....
Opinion - Finally, we had a weekend of three Super Rugby games in New Zealand - it s just a pity that the most meaningful one was a one off. The Hurricanes and Highlanders ended their Aotearoa campaigns in an entertaining game on Friday, then the Blues had to withstand a valiant effort from a Chiefs selection that would have looked right at home in the NPC. The Chiefs were on their way to Christchurch regardless, so resting their top players didn t matter. Or did it? That s going to be something Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan will have to answer next Saturday night if the Crusaders do indeed score their fifth championship in a row, Scott Robertson breakdances and probably adds another zero to whatever salary packet he gets offered next, and his team (presumably) try not to break the trophy again. ....
Andrew Cornaga/Photosport Hoskins Sotutu put in a strong shift for the Blues as they finished Super Rugby Aotearoa with a runaway victory. It was a case of close but no cigar for Leon MacDonald’s Blues as they were left ruminating on the what-ifs while the Crusaders and Chiefs prepare for next Saturday s final of Super Rugby Aotearoa. MacDonald’s men at least finished on a positive note as they kicked clear of Clayton McMillan’s gritty young Chiefs second-stringers at Eden Park on Saturday night to finish, frustratingly, just a point off a spot in that final. The Blues, with a six-tries-to-one 39-19 victory, finish the season 4-4, and on 20 competition points. The Chiefs, who ran out pretty much a side of backups and scrubs on Saturday, also wind up on the same tally, but progress to the final courtesy of their extra victory over the eight-match campaign. ....
Brett Phibbs/Photosport Blues hooker Kurt Eklund charges away for his fourth try of the Super Rugby Aotearoa season on Saturday night. The Blues finished with a giddy flourish to spare their blushes but the young, second-string Chiefs outfit would still have walked off Eden Park on Saturday night with their fair share of satisfaction. In what was essentially a dead rubber Super Rugby Aotearoa regular season finale, with the visiting Chiefs and Crusaders confirmed before the round kicked off to line up in Saturday’s final in Christchurch, Leon MacDonald’s home side completed an underwhelming campaign with a flattering closeout performance to dig out a 39-19 victory that was a lot less conclusive than those digits indicate. ....
“I’ll just take this week (against the Chiefs) first and then have a look and see what’s after,” Clarke told Stuff. “I’ve got a week in between, so that’s the week when I’m make that decision on whether to go or stay.” Cameron Spencer/Getty Images Caleb Clarke established himself as one of the key players in the All Blacks last season. Clarke says right now he doesn’t know which way he’s leaning, but it will be one that Blues coach Leon MacDonald, All Blacks coach Ian Foster and sevens coach Clark Laidlaw will be anxiously waiting on. ....