A tense and nervy victory for the Blues with a 36-30 win over the Melbourne Rebels was far from flawless. Tana Umaga will be disappointed to blow a bonus point, having watched his side establish a 20 point buffer in the second half and his decision to empty the bench early could have cost his team with a late monumental comeback from the Rebels.
Yet, the Blues are still far too patchy to be convincing. Their slim playoff hopes alive and emphasised the gulf between New Zealand and the rest of Super Rugby. It's not a fair fight.