If Vern Cotter's gameplan has become renowned for its brutal, direct, efficiency, then his Blues team can probably expect a verbal version of it next week. The defending Super Rugby Pacific champions were humbled at home 25-14 by a Chiefs side that fought fire with fire and muscled up in front of over 25,000 fans at Eden Park.
"What I thought we didn't do particularly well was adapt," Cotter said after the game.
"I think we'd got ourselves comfortable around dominating scoring. And I think sometimes you just need to learn to adapt. And that's what I'm talking about - [showing] the maturity is sometimes going to be tough and you have to find a way, and it might be a different way than you're used to."
The Blues were shut out in the second half after leading 14-6, scoring two well-taken tries. However, it's likely the Chiefs were wondering just how they were down as they went back into the sheds, given they'd played most of the game up till that point in the Blues' half.
"We let the Chiefs get the initiative back and let them dictate the game. So we didn't stay in long periods of domination from one to the next one," Cotter said.
Clayton McMillan, Vern Cotter Photo: PHOTOSPORT
"And that's something we're proud of doing. And a lot of things we're proud of doing. And I, the Chiefs actually did to us. So once again, I think it's just an awareness piece for us really. And we know every team goes through this. And I think it's important that we just come back in and take responsibility for all of us."
The Blues' discipline let them down at a key moment, Joshua Fusitu'a earning a yellow card for a clumsy contact with Samipei Finau's head. Five minutes later, Chiefs debutant Leroy Carter scored to put the Chiefs ahead for the first time in the game.
Meanwhile, Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan was playing down the revenge aspect of the win, after the Blues trounced the Chiefs 41-10 in last year's final.
"I think you blokes (the media) and a few others probably refer back to that game, but what we're talking about is we can't go back and change it. We can only influence what's strictly in front of us," he said.
McMillan sprung a few surprises in his team for the game, naming Damian McKenzie at fullback, but admitted the All Black may well have been on the bench had he had his full compliment of players available. He said the selection, that saw four other All Blacks selected as reserves, was "just rewarding the guys that have put the effort in" over the preseason.
So it's likely we can expect McKenzie back at first five next weekend for the Chiefs' game against the Crusaders in Hamilton.
"He's our guy, right. You know, he's our 10, and the other guys are talented and chasing them," McMillan said.
