Injuries, suspension and bereavement have cut deep into the Blues’ stocks as Pat Lam has been forced to call two players from the Wider Training Group into the 22 to face the Stormers.

Blues prop Tony Woodcock will make his long awaited return to the rugby field tonight, playing for the Blues Development team in their final match of the Pacific Rugby Cup against the Fiji Warriors

Seldom since the days of Carlos Spencer has a Blues first five-eighths stamped his authority on a game quite like Gareth Anscombe did on Sunday morning against the Bulls.

Jerome Kaino’s Super Rugby season is over because he needs to undergo surgery to repair damage to a shoulder injury sustained in the Blues Round 2 match against the Chiefs.

Gareth Anscombe produced a stunning individual performance in his run on debut, scoring all 29 of his side’s points as the Blues triumphed over the Bulls 29-23 in Pretoria earlier this morning.

Blues captain Keven Mealamu was hit by a bottle thrown by a Bulls fan in a sour end to an otherwise thrilling match as the Blues defeated the Bulls 29-23 at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday morning.

Blues head coach Pat Lam had been lambasted in the press in the lead up to the game but he and his players answered their critics with a character filled performance to defeat the Bulls 29-23

The Blues Development team triumphed in an error ridden match against Tonga A, 40-3 on Friday night.

SKYCITY has been a major partner of the Blues for 15 years and now The Nation’s Clubrooms at SKYCITY is the home of the Blues.

With two games and two wins under their belt, the Blues Development team head into their first Pacific Rugby Cup match with confidence and an element of intrigue.

Ma’a Nonu will debut for the Blues and Piri Weepu will make his first start when the Blues take on the Bulls at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday morning (6.10am NZT).

After sustaining a left shoulder injury during last week’s match, Kaino remained in New Zealand when the rest of the team departed for South Africa in the hope he might be able to join the squad later.