Blues on Hurricane alert

An established Blues team will wait a vastly changed Hurricanes outfit that is expected to come out hard against the three-time champions.

The Blues, beaten Investec Super Rugby semi-finalists last season, may have lost some key personal, but have been reinforced by some key All Blacks – most notably Piri Weepu and Ma’a Nonu – a couple of the Hurricanes former favourite sons.

The Hurricanes roster is immensely different from last year, missing All Blacks Weepu, Nonu, Andrew Hore, Aaron Cruden and Hosea Gear, but this considerable block of experience will be somewhat substituted by the increased recruitment of members of the Ranfurly Shield winning Taranaki team.

However the Hurricanes are in some quarters already being written off, while the Blues are being talked up as a likely title contender, and coach Pat Lam told stuff.co.nz this made for a dangerous match in Whangarei on Saturday.

"That will be used as a positive and motivation for all of them," Lam said.

"I know if I was in that (Hurricanes) team and hearing everything that's been said of them, it just brings a bit of resolve. It's a new beginning for them. There is a lot of quality, there may not be experience with what they have lost but there is certainly a chance for them to come together as a team."

"The real crunch comes on February 24 when we open our season at home against the Crusaders.

"So we will give everyone a run on Saturday and that will give us something to build on,"

Neither Weepu or Nonu will face their old team.

Weepu is among most returning All Blacks who are, according to Lam, a few weeks behind their required fitness, while Nonu is expected to be available for the Blues South African trip to play the Bulls and Stormers.

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