New Blues coach Vern Cotter has already drawn a line in the sand for his forwards, if the Auckland franchise is to break a 20-year Super Rugby championship drought.
Cotter, 61, has been appointed to take over from Leon MacDonald at the helm of the underachieving team that dominated the competition's early years, but have struggled to uphold their end of a so-called rivalry with the Crusaders, who have won seven titles in the past seven years.
"I want to get the forwards a bit rougher and tougher," said Cotter on his first day in the job. "I think rugby starts up front, so we just need to work on that.
"Everybody does, but we need to focus on it. We don't need X-factor up front, we've got plenty out the back.
"In simple terms, that's what we'll be looking at."
Notably, Cotter was forwards coach for two of the Crusaders' 12 titles in 2005 and 2006, before heading overseas. Like his predecessor, he has crossed over to enemy territory, although he insists he's an Aucklander at heart.
"I was born in Devonport, so it feels legitimate," said Cotter. "I spend the first five years of my life on Motuihe Island on the Hauraki Gulf.
"It's nice to be home and coaching Kiwis again. I've spent a fair bit with other cultures, so it's nice to come back here and spend time with these boys.
"I'm really happy and excited to be involved with this environment."
Cotter guided Clermont to their first French Top 14 crown in 2009/10, after losing the previous three finals. He coached Scotland from 2014-17, including a heartbreaking quarter-final loss to Australia at the 2015 World Cup.
After a two-year stint with Montpellier, he took the reins of Fiji, which he relinquished earlier this year.
With All Blacks coach-in-waiting Scott Robertson plundering Super Rugby coaching ranks for his national team staff next year, Cotter was a logical choice to fill a vacancy, landing back in his city of birth for at least two years.
"I never really had it as an objective, but I'm rapt that I'm able to do it," he said. "It's good timing - I've had those years overseas and learned a little bit, and I'm looking forward to getting involved with this crew.
"Coaches are about what they bring with regards to ambition and attitude, and I think that's something I'll be bringing around this group and form this group to go forward.
"Everyone wants to win titles and that's what this group is about. It's two years to win a title, so there are no excuses, we're straight into it.
"It's all about winning, coming together and becoming a team. These are a talented bunch of individuals and I think it's just about getting the ambition right, making sure we're not frightened of the competition and walk towards it.
"Roll your sleeves up and do some simple things well - that will be the key message. Obviously, it's complex, but human beings can make it over-complex as well."
Cotter pays tribute what MacDonald has achieved over the past five years, restoring some of the Blues belief and lustre, and guiding them to the 2021 Super Rugby Trans-Tasman title and the 2022 Super Rugb Pacific final, without quite carrying them all the way.
Blues fans are still stinging from the 52-15 demolition by the Crusaders in this season's semi-finals.
"You've got to acknowledge what Leon and the coaching group have done," he said. "There are a few new players coming in as well and there will opportunities for younger players who probably haven't had the space to express themselves.
"There's a strong feeling about the identity and I think we keep growing that."
