The Blues face one of their toughest tests when they travel to Canberra to take on the Brumbies in the penultimate regular-season clash in the DHL Super Rugby Pacific competition on Saturday.

Coach Leon MacDonald has named a predictably strong line-up led by an experienced pack to take on Australia’s leading team.

There is a relatively settled look to the Blues team for their final regular season clash in the DHL Super Rugby Pacific competition.

They host the Queensland Reds at Eden Park on Saturday at 7.05pm, with the Australian visitors fully committed as they are in a fight with the Chiefs, Waratahs and Hurricanes for the fourth place for the final home-game spot for the first round of playoffs.

The Blues are firmly focussed on a performance of quality to celebrate their return home to Eden Park where they take on the Melbourne Rebels in DHL Super Rugby Pacific on Friday night.

While they return from two wins across the Tasman, the team were not satisfied with the level of their performances, and are determined to make a step up in front of fans and family.

The Blues welcome back some key players as they take on the testing challenge against the Western Force in Perth on Friday evening.

Several players with minor niggles or on All Black leave, who missed the Super Round in Melbourne, have joined the team for Friday’s clash. They include captain Dalton Papalii, top try-scorer and hooker Kurt Eklund and props Ofa Tuungafasi and Alex Hodgman who celebrates his 50th cap for the Blues.

After a few days off following an arduous three-week schedule, the Blues are refocussing on the new challenge across the Tasman.

The team is excited to be part of the unique Super Round with all teams playing in Melbourne, with the Blues to take on Fijian Drua on Saturday to kick-start the Australian phase of the competition.

The Blues will get no tougher litmus test on their progress than the Easter Friday clash against the Crusaders in Christchurch.

The team bagged three wins in their challenging three-game schedule in a week, before resetting with an impressive victory against the Chiefs in Hamilton.

Captain Dalton Papalii will earn his 50th cap for the Blues as he leads the team to take on neighbours the Chiefs in DHL Super Rugby Pacific in Hamilton on Saturday.

As a testament to his resilience, the 24-year-old will earn his 50th cap midway through just his fifth season for the Blues since his debut in 2018.

A trio of tyros have earned selection alongside proven regulars in the Blues side who return home to Eden Park to host Moana Pasifika on Saturday.

Midfielder Corey Evans along with loose forwards Cameron Suafoa and Anton Segner, with just five caps between them, have earned a start in the return clash in the DHL Super Rugby Pacific competition.

The depth of the Blues personnel, further affected by recent illness, will be tested when they meet Moana Pasifika in the first of two clashes, at Mt Smart Stadium on Tuesday.

With both teams facing three games in eight days as they look to make-up lost games earlier in the DHL Super Rugby Pacific competition, the Blues have dug deep into their emerging tyros.

“It is both a challenge and an exciting opportunity,” said Blues head coach, Leon MacDonald. “The situation is simple. You can’t play your most experienced players three times in eight days. It may not by ideal but we just get on with it.