What a fantastic game the Blues and Lions played out early last Sunday [NZT], and I think this weekend possibly represents a bigger opportunity for the Blues. There's nothing better than being on tour and getting your first game under your belt, especially when it's a win. The rest of the tour is set up now; there'll be a good vibe throughout the squad and the playing group can breathe a little easier after getting that first win.
But the really important message the Blues must absorb is that they didn't deserve to win the game; they won by sticking at it and the positive resulting from that is that they didn't throw the towel in. They stuck at it until the 80th minute.
At the same time they need to acknowledge they gave the Lions opportunities that could have thrown the game away, and that has been the biggest Achilles heel for the Blues in recent seasons. It's a great opportunity for Tana Umaga to say: "Guys, we're feeling good about life, we're on tour and we need to step up from here".
They have to be very hard on themselves so far as discipline is concerned even to the point where if they throw a 50-50 pass they get dropped next week.
I think there are too many people trying to emulate what Sonny Bill Williams, and others, can do because they have the spatial awareness and the ability to see things that allow them to operate at a different level. But the others are trying to do something that is not in their DNA.
It's a case of understanding what you can do and playing within that. I've always said that the ugliest pass in the world is the one that doesn't go to hand. It might look flash and have all the bells and whistles but the lovely pass is that one that results in a teammate running down the field with the ball in hand and scoring a try.
It may well be that the win at Ellis Park becomes a turning point for the Blues, a moment when things finally turned around. But in saying that, they have to step up from there to achieve that because it won't just happen by itself.
As for the Hurricanes? Jordie Barrett's back and it's like he hasn't been away! He's just picked up where he left off. He's bigger, stronger and faster from last year. He had a great game at the weekend and the Hurricanes showed the class outfit they can be, and have been in the past, especially with the Barrett brothers in the backline.
They're going to be a force again this year. Not too many teams can do what they did to the Crusaders.
It feels like the competition is well underway now and players are stepping up and demonstrating that there is going to be real competition this year and there'll be some new faces pushing for All Blacks selection. We have heard that Jerome Kaino and Wyatt Crockett will be moving on at the end of the campaign and that just creates an open door for players to say: 'Right, here's my chance'.
Akira Ioane could look at Kaino's departure and think he had a similar physique but is a little younger with a little bit more of a spring in his step. He's certainly showing his form at the moment.
As for Crockett, there are already players who are bubbling around the edges there and even more so some of those who weren't considered probably see more of an opportunity now.
This week's games will provide some more action of the highest order.
The Blues are up against the Stormers in Cape Town, and this time it is the Stormers who have the travel factor against them. The Blues have been sitting there in South Africa waiting for them, feeling good about themselves, and I hope their discipline doesn't let them down.
We saw that last year when they were feeling good after beating the British & Irish Lions, they then went to Japan and lost to the Sunwolves. You've got to play week to week and keep your feet on the ground.
Down in Dunedin, the Highlanders-Crusaders is always a genuine derby and I think any Crusaders side coming off a defeat will be dangerous. There's no love lost between the two -- it is going to be a great game.
And for the Chiefs hosting the Bulls in Hamilton, I know the Waikato men are suffering a lot of injuries but it is just their turn in that regard. There's enough depth there and they proved that against the Blues.
But it is still an opportunity for a young player to step up and take that chance. You can sit on a bench or in a wider training group for years just waiting for that break. There have been a couple of players who have done that for the Chiefs. They'll be excited about this weekend but the Bulls are big tough men, so they'll be wanting to run them around.