If fortune favours him again, the Australian coach will once more finish atop the Super 14 with the Blues in about three weeks before signing off.
Nucifora was sacked by the Brumbies in 2004, a few weeks before leading them to a stunning 47-38 win against the Crusaders in the final.
Now he is leaving the Blues on his own terms after three seasons.
The Blues need to beat the Highlanders at Carisbrook on Saturday night and the Hurricanes at Eden Park a week later to be guaranteed a place in the play-offs.
"It's better to be relying on our own performances than other teams.
We're in a position where, if we keep winning, we should be right," Nucifora told the Otago Daily Times from Auckland yesterday.
"You can't worry about it too much. I've been doing this for a few years and it gets to be like Groundhog Day".
"There is never much in this competition. Often you find yourself in a tight predicament at the end of the season. It's about having a real focus on what you can do, and if you do it well enough, things will pan out."
The Blues have been far from impressive for much of this season.
They had a long slump after being unbeaten after three rounds, but have regained some ground in recent weeks and still have the talent to do some serious damage in the play-offs.
Nucifora said experience, leadership, excitement and freshness were all important at this stage of the season.
"You also need your big-game players to put their hand up and play well. That's a non-negotiable".
"Also, just the excitement of knowing how close you are to play-off time is a big factor. That should always be enough to get the guys up. We won't have any trouble at all getting up for the game against the Highlanders."
Nucifora has confirmed he is leaving the Blues at the end of the season and returning to Australia.
The side is also losing both its first five-eighths, Nick Evans and Isa Nacewa, to overseas contracts, but Nucifora does not feel the mid-season announcements have been disruptive to the rest of the squad.
The last time the Blues came to Carisbrook, Nucifora had to make the losing coach's speech.
He knows the Highlanders, even though they possess a fraction of the star power of the Blues, will fight hard to get the Gordon Hunter Memorial Trophy back.
"Each week, teams have had to fight hard to get on top of the Highlanders. They've still got that character and they don't roll over for anyone".
"We're going down with no misconceptions about how well we need to play to win."
Nucifora offered his support for the Highlanders following speculation the southern franchise might be in danger of being disbanded or relocated when the Super 14 is reviewed.
"The Highlanders have always been an important part of the mix. Having a team in the southern end of the country is important".
"They're a part of history and it would be a huge shame if anything led to there not being a team down there."
Nucifora has made one change to his starting 15 for the Highlanders game, with All Black utility Isaia Toeava dropping to the reserve bench.
Benson Stanley returns at second five-eighth in a straight swap from the side that began the 35-22 win over the Reds in Brisbane last weekend.
There are two brackets, with All Black prop Tony Woodcock (foot) and lock Troy Flavell (hamstring) both facing fitness tests.
A decision on their availability will be made tomorrow.
