In winning, the Highlanders did the double over the Blues for the season, and did not have to get into top gear too often to put to bed an average home team.
The men in green scored four tries for only the second time this campaign, and that was enough to make it win No 9 for the season, giving the side one more victory than it managed for the whole of last year.
On Saturday night, it was plain to see the progress the Highlanders have made in a year.
Last year, coach Jamie Joseph lamented the lack of game-breakers in his side.
On Saturday, the match-winners in the team were pretty much the difference between the two sides.
Centre Tamati Ellison scored the first try, following up a deep kick he put in from a turnover secured by veteran hooker Andrew Hore.
Ellison jumped on the ball as soon as it went over the tryline in a melee of players, showing the skills a class player possesses.
Just before halftime, right winger Kurt Baker made a nice run and fed his fellow winger Hosea Gear, who could not be stopped from 10m out.
That gave the side a 15-6 lead at the break, and then, within a minute of the second half, the Highlanders scored their third try.
Fullback Ben Smith ran the ball back through a yawning gap and, when near the touchline, fed Gear on the inside, for the winger to crash over.
The Highlanders were firmly in control by then and scored the all-important bonus point when Adam Thomson scored the easiest try of his career, when he was thrown the ball by Blues hooker James Parsons in a lineout and simply had to fall over to score.
The relief in that try was plain to see for the Highlanders and the team took the foot off the pedal in the final quarter of an hour, letting the Blues in for two late tries, which got a few people excited.
But the Highlanders held on, though it was no thanks to referee Glen Jackson who was tough on the visiting side all night.
The Blues are an average team, and just made too many mistakes to maintain pressure.
They lacked what the Highlanders had - class players - and it was a puzzle why Ma'a Nonu started on the bench when he made such a big impact when he came on with almost three-quarters of the game gone.
Gear looked dangerous every time he got the ball, as did Smith, but game breakers cannot do it all themselves, and those with single figures on their backs were excellent.
No 8 Nick Crosswell, lock Jarrad Hoeata and flanker Tim Boys never stopped all night, while prop Ma'afu Fia continues to grow at this level.
Super 15
The scores
Highlanders 27
Hosea Gear 2, Tamati Ellison, Adam Thomson tries; Chris Noakes 2 con, pen
Blues 20
Tevita Mailau, Tony Woodcock tries, Gareth Anscombe 2 pen, con; Lachie Munro con
Halftime: Highlanders 15-6
