THE MAGIC BLITZ
The Blues had the honour of being New Zealand's first Super Rugby team to play the Lions and they threw everything into the occasion.
On a drizzly night in Auckland they got stuck in up front and held their own. Their defence was big, their set piece held well and they managed to play a bit of rugby, too, with young Stephen Perofeta making his debut at No 10.
It was a good game of rugby that the Lions looked like they were going to win, having been that bit more composed and clinical in the second half to lead 16-15.
But with six minutes to go, Michael Collins rose high to claim an aerial bomb. As the ball was being recycled, Steven Luatua and Sonny Bill Williams began conspiring. The latter said he would tuck in behind Luatua, who was destined to be first receiver when the ball came out.
“I was meant to pass it earlier, but they filled the space, so I kinda held on to it a bit. I saw the space after that – I just let it go,” said Luatua about what happened next.
He'd charged into the defence, taken the contact and then slipped a brilliant offload to Williams, who made it 40 metres up the field before the defence got to him.
As they dragged him down, his giant arm appeared and he flipped the ball to the fast advancing Ihaia West, who put on some footwork, gassed it hard and was in under the posts after a magical piece of running.
It was a match winner – the Blues holding on to their 22-16 lead.
“I heard them sort of talking about it, I was trying to get in position,” said West. “Sonny was there and I had to sprint outside him, Steve just sort of gets his arm free and I knew when Sonny was in space that anything can happen, so I just tried to get there as quick as I could.
“I think he just saw me, I wasn't calling, I was trying to get there as quick as I could. I managed to catch eye contact with him and he just sort of chucked it there – obviously we know Sonny can do that sort of thing.”