The veteran loose forward Jerome Kaino says the senior players in the Blues have to lead the team out of its current slump.
Veteran Blues players Keven Mealamu and Jerome Kaino, 2015. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The Auckland-based side has lost all five of its games so far this season and is on the bottom of the Super Rugby table.
The Blues face the defending champions the New South Wales Waratahs in Sydney on Saturday and Kaino says the senior players have to set an example.
"I think for us it's just to keep the confidence instilled in the younger players so they don't go into their shells," he says.
Pointing out that several of the Blues' defeats were close this season, Kaino said the teams' leaders need to, "keep team morale up.. so the younger players go out there and just play."
The public has been scathing of the Blues' poor record this season this year, and Kaino says the censure is warranted.
"It's a results-based industry and we've got to perform. If we don't we're open to that criticism."
The Blues assistant coach Glenn Moore says his team is close to producing a winning performance.
He says only a few slight adjustments need to be made.
"You bolt two or three of those small things together it makes a big difference... We're creating opportunities and it's just eliminating some of those errors and completing."
