For a fleeting moment at Eden Park on Saturday, it looked as if the Brumbies would snap the horror run of Australian sides in this year's Trans Tasman Super Rugby.
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But in the blink of an eye, the Blues struck with a brilliant try to scrum half Finlay Christie moments before half-time and normal transmission resumed.
A horror second half from the visitors culminated in a 38-10 scoreline, marking the 13th win for a New Zealand team from 13 Trans Tasman fixtures, and spoiling captain Allan Alaalatoa's 100th game celebration.
"There's definitely a gulf [between Australian and New Zealand teams] isn't there," Brumbies coach Dan McKellar said.
"You'd be sitting up here looking rubbish if you didn't recognise that. The New Zealand teams have had that competition where they've gone hard at each other and played at or close enough to test match intensity.
"The Australian teams have struggled to face that. There's a gap there at the moment.
"I just don't think we've got the depth across five teams when a lot of the teams are dealing with significant injuries."
The Blues oozed class after the break ensuring a disappointing end to the Brumbies' two-and-a-half week tour of New Zealand, and consigning McKellar's team to a fourth-straight loss across two competitions.
They'll be on a plane early Sunday morning to fly back into familiar surrounds, with a chance to reflect on the club's first post-COVID overseas tour ahead of home games against the Hurricanes and Highlanders to salvage some pride.
"We've really enjoyed touring, I'm not sure if the Brumbies have ever come to New Zealand and had three on the trot," McKellar said.
"This competition you need to be really fit and healthy and we're not, a few young fellas are learning some hard lessons."
Christie was brilliant for the Blues at Eden Park, and his crowning moment came just before half-time as he ensured he'll be played on Trans Tasman highlight reels for years to come.
He outsmarted Tom Banks, burrowed under the giant frame of Nick Frost, skipped past Rob Valetini and brushed aside a Solomone Kata arm grab to touch down under the posts.
Just five minutes earlier the Brumbies had led through a Connal McInerney try off the back of a driving lineout maul in a first half where McKellar's side matched the Blues.
Their scrum was significantly improved, and their lineout demonstrated why it is statistically the competition's best.
McInerney was back in at starting hooker this week in place of Folau Faingaa and benefited from strong work in the rolling maul from Valetini and Irae Simone.
Faingaa eventually came on for McInerney, but didn't see too much game time receiving a yellow card 10 minutes from the end.
It wasn't all rosy for the Blues either, who lost Joshua Goodhue early on with a leg injury. Star flanker Dalton Papali'i also appeared to aggravate a left knee injury late on.
Otherwise Blues fans would have been delighted with what they saw as the Auckland side relentlessly peppered the visitors. At one stage Blues players were lining up left and right of the ruck, eagerly awaiting their turn to attack.
McKellar's men tried valiantly, but were exhausted. Three straight matches in New Zealand will do that to you.
AT A GLANCE BLUES 38 (Eklund, Christie, Heem, Lam, Faiane tries, Black 5 conv, pen) bt BRUMBIES 10 (McInerney try, Lolesio conv, pen)
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
