For the first time in 10 months, All Blacks star Beauden Barrett will start a game at first-five, with the Blues handing him the key position for Sunday's Super Rugby Aotearoa match against the Chiefs.
Otere Black's absence means Barrett will play in his preferred position for the first time since heading north, and his teammates are ready to embrace a more attacking style of play.
And while he might still bear the scars of defeat last weekend, don't expect to see Barrett go into his shell against the Chiefs.
"I'd say he's the best running ten in the world," assistant coach Daniel Halangahu says, adding; "he's probably the best we've ever seen as a running ten.
To this point, the Blues brains trust have chosen to use him predominantly at fullback, with occasional flashes of brilliance at first receiver.
And the Blues are quickly learning Barrett's style of play is unlike what they're used to.
"It's been a bit of a lesson for the guys around him just how flat and hard Beauden can play through that channel, so it's been a small adaptation for the guys."
The biggest adjustment to Barrett's electric pace may just come in the forward pack. Standout lock Josh Goodhue pointing to more awareness around broken play with Barrett wearing No.10.
"He's a little bit quicker off the mark than 'Otes' [Otere], so you've just got to be a bit more prepared to get that 10-metre speed up," Goodhue says.
But despite the influence of Barrett at first five, the Chiefs don't expect the Blues game plan to change much.
Coach Warren Gatland predicting a forward dominated gameplan, which brought the Blues three straight wins to open their campaign.
"We expect them to play territory and possession," Gatland suggests. "They're a big forward pack and we've got to put them under pressure."
Gatland's winless Chiefs know all about that, and Barrett's positional switch will make it even harder to hide from.
