The Blues - A History Of Entertainment

By Peter White

The inception of the professional Super 12 competition in 1996 transformed the game of rugby, as players became faster and stronger, coaches more analytical and tactically smart, and match-day entertainment reached new levels of innovation.

Super 12 evolved from the ground-breaking Super 10 competition, which ran from 1993-1995 with provincial teams from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa competing, before the onset of professional rugby led to the enhanced franchise format.

The Blues won three Super 12 titles in 1996, 1997 and 2003 and were beaten finalists in 1998 - only the Crusaders with six titles have a better record.

From 1996 to 1999, playing under the guise of the Auckland Blues, Auckland combined with Counties to create a formidable side, including players of the caliber of Sean Fitzpatrick, Rupeni Caucaunibuca, Joeli Vidiri, Jonah Lomu, Michael Jones, Zinzan Brooke, Eroni Clarke, Adrian Cashmore and Carlos Spencer. The team drew record crowds and captivated the attention and hearts of the rugby public.

Natal and the Brumbies were easily swept aside by the Blues in the 1996 and 1997 finals at Eden Park before the Canterbury Crusaders upset the form book with a shock win the following year. It was the first title for the Crusaders and after two poor years galvanized the franchise into action and an unparalleled run of success.

The 2003 season was a tour de force for the Blues with a back three of Caucaunibuca, Joe Rokocoko, and Doug Howlett sparking easily the best attacking side in the competition. The final at Eden Park was a classic, with the Blues winning 21-17.

Entertainment has been the name of the game since day one. The Blues have played 136 games since 1996, winning 84 (61.8 percent) and losing 49 (36 percent), and average 28 points and 3.5 tries per game. Only the Crusaders have superior statistics.

The Blues do hold one record against their fierce rivals in the red and black shirts – the Blues are the only team to have a positive win-loss ratio against the Crusaders having won eight of the 14 games between the two powerhouse franchises since 1996.

In 1998 major changes were made to the geographical make-up of both the Auckland Blues and the Waikato Chiefs. Counties-Manukau became part of the Waikato-based franchise, while North Harbour and Northland (previously under the Waikato Chiefs umbrella) headed north to join Auckland which created the Blues franchise we have today.

The regional identifiers were dropped from all New Zealand franchises in 2000 leaving the teams identified as the Blues, Hurricanes, Chiefs, Crusaders and Highlanders.

A glittering array of stars holds the individual scoring records for the Blues. Adrian Cashmore with 619 points heads the all-time point scoring list, while Doug Howlett has the most tries (59) and games (97) for the franchise.

All Blacks coach Graham Henry was Head Coach for the first three years of Super 12; and he returned as technical advisor in 2003. Other notable coaches include Peter Sloane, Frank Oliver, and the late Gordon Hunter.

In 2007 the Western Force from Australia and the Cheetahs from South Africa were added to create the Super 14 competition. The Blues performed admirably in the inaugural event, leading the competition until just before the quarter-finals, and eventually lost to the Sharks in the semi-finals after a grueling travel schedule.

The 2008 Rebel Sport Super 14 was played under the Experimental Law Variations (ELVs) to add yet another new twist to the fascinating history of the professional game. The laws meant the ball was in play longer, with many traditional penalty offences replaced with free kicks and backlines 10 metres apart at scrum time.

The Blues started superbly, with new recruit Nick Evans shining at first five-eighth, but an unexpected slump mid-way through the round-robin games meant the Blues eventually missed a semi final spot by just a single point. Head coach David Nucifora and his assistant Greg Cooper both left the Blues at the end of the campaign, opening up a new era for the Blues under new head coach Pat Lam, who was appointed for three years in July.