TARANAKI TRUE: Beauden Barrett of the Taranaki province plays for the Hurricanes in Super Rugby.

The Blues have ended their chase for All Blacks utility Beauden Barrett after the Taranaki No 10 decided to stay with the Hurricanes for next season.

With league convert Benji Marshall in the bag, the Blues were still pursuing Barrett, can first-five or fullback and is becoming a key backup in the All Blacks ranks where he has held his position for the Rugby Championship.

Blues coach Sir John Kirwan indicated Barrett had thought long and hard about making the shift north where his brother Kane plays as a lock/loose forward, but decided to stay loyal to the 'Canes.

That's a massive boost for Hurricanes coach Mark Hammett who would have been hit hard by Barrett's defection in what looms as a key season for the franchise.

It's also a blow to the Blues who, despite the pending arrival of Marshall, still have problems in the playmaker's role.

Barrett appealed as an ideal answer given his consistency and room for growth.

Chris Noakes and Baden Kerr shared the Blues No 10 jersey this season with adequate results.

Kirwan now has to decide if he keeps both of them as well as Marshall, who also looms as a potential fullback and possibly a mid-fielder despite question marks over his defensive abilities.

The Blues will hesitate to thrust Marshall straight into the hurly-burly of being their primary No 10.

Few league converts have managed that, the most successful being Mat Rogers - although he moved between first-five, centre, wing and fullback without ever appearing totally comfortably, and eventually returned to the 13-man code.

Marshall's move to the Blues is a formality. The Kiwis star is waiting for a clearance from his Wests Tigers club before it is formally announced.

Having secured a name to put some bums on seats, the Blues now need to find some players to win them some ball, particularly in the lineouts.

Their locking stocks are seriously low and that's where Kirwan and his scouts need to find some solutions.