Rested and strengthened Blues look to host Brumbies

While news that Luke McAlister will miss another week isn't ideal, the Blues will look to welcome back two other All Blacks this week as they come off their bye.

McAlister, who was on the verge of recovering from a calf injury, will likely sit out this round with a fractured nose. He had come through unscathed playing in a club game last week, but will have to wait to make his first appearance for the Blues in 2010.

However it appears that All Blacks Isaia Toeava and Anthony Tuitavake are likely to return, as the Blues look to make a statement after a solid but unspectacular start to their season.

The bye, while agreeable to mend injured troops, means that the Blues now sit tenth on the competition ladder. Losses against the Hurricanes and Crusaders were disappointing, but wins over the Highlanders and Reds showed they can be in the hunt for the title.

Their victory over Queensland in Brisbane in particular showed that this Blues team can mix it, especially against a Reds side that seems to be the surprise packet of the competition.

Pat Lam though was glad that his side has had the week off.

"The bye week came quite well for us. For the players it was a bit of time out and a bit of recuperating. We had quite a large contingent with either injuries or little niggles. They have come back refreshed," Lam said to stuff.co.nz

"For us as coaches we did quite a bit of work on what we have been doing and what we need to do. We're excited ... we are back at Eden Park for the first time this year and we are looking forward to it."

The Blues have technically had one home game, at North Harbour Stadium, but the return to their Eden Park fortress will be a boost for the side. The Blues have 55 of 75 matches there, boasting a near 75% winning record.

While historians might state that a large part of this was due to their practical invincibility when the competition begun, winning 18 straight matches before suffering their first Super rugby loss at home, only two years ago they did set another streak, winning nine in a row from 2007 to 2008.

They will be wary of the Brumbies though. In many respects the Canberra based side has slipped the through the competition unnoticed. In Australia everyone is talking about the Queensland Reds with their revival, the Force’s injury woes, or the Waratahs hot and cold form.

But the Brumbies have won four from five, including beating the highly impressive Stormers in Cape Town, and sit fifth on the table.

“They keep winning. They have some experienced players there ... Stirling Mortlock, Rocky Elsom and Matt Giteau ... and then they have the young guys around them. So those experienced guys are guiding them around and doing what they have to do to win these games,” Lam said.

"They are on as good run at the moment so we certainly have our work cut out this week. But that's what we like - it's a good challenge."

While the Blues lead their head to head with the Brumbies, having won nine matches from 16 (and six from nine at home), the most successful Australian franchise in Super rugby history smacked the Blues last year with a 37-15 win in Canberra, and won in Eden Park in their last visit in 2008, winning 16-11.

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