Blues coach Pat Lam is confident his side is well over the set piece frustrations that marred his side's late run in the Super Rugby competition are well behind them ahead of Friday's playoffs match with the Waratahs at Eden Park.
An inability to achieve consistency across both halves had been a problem during the four-game losing streak which was ended with Friday's win over the Highlanders.
"In last week's game we stepped up there. There's enough quality in that team and they've got a lot of pride. They want to nail that," he said.
The information gained from the side's losses were a constant reminder that the side had to re-commit to achieving the basics in their game.
"It's more about doing what we have to do to win the game. We don't have bonus points, we've just got to do the job," Lam said.
All the requirements of knockout rugby have been addressed in the preparation including the need for dropped goals and extra time.
"There's enough senior guys here to talk through scenarios. Obviously you don't want to get to that stage, you want to win the game but you do go through everything and tick as much as you can," he said.
While injuries might have hit the Waratahs, Lam was not discounting the impact of players called in from their wider training group.
They were dangerous, he said, and he had asked the Blues to ponder how some of the Blues' wider training group would react if given the chance to play.
"They would be buzzing. It makes them more dangerous when a guy gets an opportunity to get out there and play, and even if he is unknown it makes it tougher," he said.
"At the end of the day it is going to come to teamwork, and that is going to be key," he said.
At the same time he was aware of the quality still remaining in the Waratahs side and only had to check with his children to understand the appeal of Waratahs first five-eighths Kurtley Beale.
"He's X factor. He's a quality player, my kids like him. They were pretty annoyed we were playing the Waratahs because they like Kurtley Beale. At 10 [five-eighths] or 15 [fullback] he's got to be a threat and he'll run the game for them and he's a dangerous player who will have to shut down," he said.
Only one change has been made to the side for the Waratahs game with halfback Alby Mathewson regaining the starting spot, and with Daniel Braid rejoining the reserves in the place of Sean Polward.
The team is: 1.Charlie Faumuina, 2.Keven Mealamu (captain), 3.John Afoa, 4.Anthony Boric, 5.Ali Williams, 6.Jerome Kaino, 7.Luke Braid, 8.Peter Saili, 9.Alby Mathewson, 10.Stephen Brett, 11.Lachie Munro, 12.Luke McAlister, 13.Benson Stanley, 14.Joe Rokocoko, 15.Jared Payne.
Reserves: 16.Tom McCartney, 17.Tevita Mailau, 18.Chris Lowrey, 19.Daniel Braid, 20.Chris Smylie, 21.Winston Stanley, 22.Sherwin Stowers.