Moala scores off last play as Blues snatch Tens title
George Moala, in typical tank-like fashion, stole the Brisbane Global Tens title for the Blues.
From the outset of this tournament the Blues set the pace but were forced to come from behind and scrap for everything against the Hurricanes.
Down 7-0 at halftime, Akira Ioane brought the Blues within two points with a lineout try but it needed a desperate Sam Nock tackle on opposite Jamie Booth with one minute remaining to give his side a shot at glory.
From a penalty, the Blues went blindside to find Moala. The former All Black was brought down short of the line, released the ball, and got up to just plant the ball on the line.
Immediately, the Blues celebrated. So they should, after emerging undefeated from five matches.
In the absence of regular stars, the younger players stepped up for the Blues: halfback Nock, Ioane, Melani Nanai and Caleb Clarke, the son of former All Black Eroni, who finished as top try-scorer with five and was named player of the tournament.
The Blues have had little to celebrate in recent years but Tana Umaga’s men grew in confidence as the tournament progressed and deserved their victory, one they will now look to build on in Super Rugby.
Thrashed 22-0 by the Crusaders in their opening match, the Hurricanes did well just to make the finale and will be disappointed to let this slip through their grasp.
Fielding a young and inexperienced team led by Julian Savea, the Hurricanes came into day two the least fancied New Zealand team.
The Crusaders, Chiefs and Blues were all unbeaten. The Hurricanes brought defensive pressure and breakdown aggression more than any attacking brilliance to the final.
Big tighthead prop Alex Fidow led the charge throughout the tournament, scoring the opening try from a crafty lineout move.
Whether it is scrummaging, tackling, carrying the ball in one hand on the edge or offloading, the 20-yearold prospect showed all the skills.
Fidow will only mature more after starring as one of Wellington’s ‘Bruise Brothers’ alongside rookie All Blacks hooker Asafo Aumua. Fidow’s blond top is certainly hard to miss. Livewire halfbacks Booth and Finlay Christie were other unheralded characters to step up for the Hurricanes.
The Chiefs, last year’s champions, had a right to feel aggrieved after being dudded by two controversial calls in their knockout quarter-final loss to the Reds.
The hosts made the final only on points differential, with one win from three games, and benefitted greatly from the officials. With the match 7-7 at halftime, the Reds scored two controversial tries — the first given by the television match official when it looked like the ball had been lost.
The second was much worse. Despite Angus Blyth’s boot clearly touching the sideline after tackles from Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi and Mitch Karpik, officials decided not to check the footage, instead awarding the try.
The Reds win over Chiefs was the first Australian victory against a Kiwi team since the Rebels beat the Chiefs in last year’s opening Tens match.
After looking out of their depth on day one, Conrad Smith’s French club Pau pulled off the upset of the weekend by dumping out the Highlanders.