The Blues have dealt the ACT Brumbies a brutal reality check with a record-breaking 46-7 Super Rugby Pacific win over Australia's benchmark outfit.
The Brumbies entered Saturday's contest with a six-from-seven record this campaign and designs on an all-important top-two finish.
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That may yet materialise. But, for now, Eden Park once again proved Australian rugby's graveyard as the Blues put the Brumbies to the sword on Saturday with seven tries to one late consolation cross from the vanquished visitors.
Coach Stephen Larkham had hoped the Brumbies' acid test across the Tasman would send a statement to their rivals.
Instead, the Brumbies suffered their heaviest-ever defeat to the Aucklanders in a thorough mismatch between the two sides previously sitting in joint second place. A rout certainly didn't look on the cards early on.
It was almost impossible to believe the Brumbies found themselves down after Blues halfback Taufa Funaki was yellow-carded for being offside while pulling off a try-saving tackle on Ollie Sapsford.
But a try to big No.8 Hoskins Sotutu, following a bust from flanker Dalton Papali'i, when the Blues were down to 14 men put the hosts up 7-0 against the run of play.
The try proved the turning point of the match.
Starving the Brumbies of possession, the Blues converted their clear dominance into a double-digit lead when destructive winger Caleb Clarke stormed over to bag the Blues' second try seven minutes from halftime.
Their third, after the halftime siren following a brain explosion from Brumbies five-eighth Noah Lolesio, was a gut buster for the visitors.
After the Brumbies defended their line valiantly, Lolesio inexplicably kicked the ball out on the full, believing that would be halftime.
Instead, the blunder earned the Blues a free kick, with Sotutu punishing the error with his second five-pointer to earn his team a 24-0 lead at the break.
Any hopes of a miraculous second-half comeback were snuffed out shortly after the restart, when Papali'i scored off a driving maul before veteran Brumbies prop James Slipper was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle.
Further tries to front-rowers Ricky Riccitelli and Funaki added to the Brumbies' woes as their Eden Park hoodoo extended to 11 years.
Tries: Sotutu 2, Clarke, Papali'i, Funaki, Riccitelli, Eklund
Cons: Plummer 4/6, Cashmore 0/1
Pens: Plummer 1/1
Tries: Reimer
Cons: Lolesio 1/1
BLUES (1-15): Ofa Tu'ungafasi, Ricky Riccitelli, Marcel Renata, Patrick Tuipulotu (c), Laghlan McWhannell, Akira Ioane, Dalton Papali'i, Hoskins Sotutu, Taufa Funaki, Harry Plummer, Caleb Clarke, Bryce Heem, Rieko Ioane, Mark Tele'a, Cole Forbes
RESERVES: Kurt Eklund, Joshua Fusitu'a, Angus Ta'avao, Sam Darry, Adrian Choat, Sam Nock, Lucas Cashmore, AJ Lam
BRUMBIES (1-15): James Slipper, Billy Pollard, Sefo Kautai, Darcy Swain, Cadeyrn Neville, Rob Valetini, Jahrome Brown, Charlie Cale, Ryan Lonergan (c), Noah Lolesio, Corey Toole, Tamati Tua, Hudson Creighton, Ollie Sapsford, Tom Wright
RESERVES: Connal McInerney, Blake Schoupp, Rhys Van Nek, Nick Frost, Tom Hooper, Luke Reimer, Harrison Goddard, Jack Debreczeni,
Referee: Ben O'Keeffe
Assistant Referees: Stu Curran, Jackson Henshaw
