Player Focus: The Blues new talisman Stephen Perofeta

With the departure of Piers Francis and Ihaia West the Blues will have three youngsters battling it out for no.10 jersey in the likes of Stephen Perofeta, Otere Black and Bryn Gatland next season. 

Tana Umaga will be entrusted with the difficult job of picking which one of these three will steer the Blues ship in 2018.

Perofeta is the youngest of the three but has made huge strides to become a top-level flyhalf so far this year, with Umaga even requesting that he remained with the Blues for their clash with the British and Irish Lions, instead of representing the New Zealand under 20s earlier this year.

One can not help but draw some comparisons between Perofeta and legendary Auckland and All Black flyhalf Carlos Spencer. Like Spencer, Perofeta is talented with the ball in hand and is not shy to take the occasional risk to set up a superb try. 

The 20-year-old has cemented himself in Colin Cooper's Taranaki starting line-up during the Mitre 10 Cup and has been key to their success so far this season as they sit on top of the Premiership standings after 7 games. 

Perofeta has beaten 24 defenders and has made 434 running metres with the ball in hand so far the 2017 Mitre 10 Cup. 

The playmaker has the ability to dictate play as well as skill to turn the game on it's head. 

He is also a capable fullback having rotated positions with Marty McKenzie this season. 

The youngster could be the missing link that takes the Blues side that is strong on paper to heights expected from one of Super Rugby's strongest franchises in it's history.