Blues dazzle in opener
Keeping a lid on hype might be Tana Umaga’s biggest challenge after his Blues team opened the Super Rugby season with a performance befitting the competition’s ‘‘boom, boom’’ slogan. The Melbourne Rebels were certainly left stunned by the 56-18 pounding.
The Blues have long struggled away from home but, in Melbourne on Thursday night, they took apart the battling Rebels to record their first victory at AAMI Park. Cracking the half century wasn’t a bad way to celebrate.
Rieko Ioane’s hat-trick, the first for the Blues since 2013, and Augustine Pulu’s individual brilliance played no small part in the impressive result, which featured the most points the franchise has ever scored in Australia. It was also their highest total in five years.
Seven tries to two doesn’t tell the tight nature of the first half (25-15) but the Blues’ attack found its groove in the second spell and the Rebels’ defence didn’t stand a chance.
Elements of the Blues game were scratchy – the lineout needs work – but it’s round one and a bonus point victory is the perfect way to start their campaign, especially when they’ve got Jerome Kaino, Patrick Tuipulotu, Sonny Bill Williams and James Parsons to come back.
Skeptics will point to last season when the Blues rolled the Highlanders at home in their first game, only to lose the following week. Judgment should be tempered with three local derbies over the next three weeks, starting with the Chiefs in Hamilton. But foundations are there.
For now, Umaga and his management team deserve credit. Preseason messages and adjustments have clearly been absorbed – and there’s improvement left in this team. Ioane, from centre, kept George Moala and Rene Ranger on the bench. And the All Blacks utility was in everything. His intercept just before halftime swung the momentum the Blues way, and his second try embarrassed three defenders. With such talent it’s hard to believe he is still 19.
Last year, Ioane made a home on the wing but insiders have long believed his future would be at centre. This performance will do nothing to quell those assertions.
Pulu was just as influential. He left Rebels flanker Colby Fainga’a for dead with a beautiful in-andaway off the lineout and sprinted 40 metres to claim a stunning try just after the break. In the Blues pack, Steven Luatua thrived in his favoured blindside flanker role, carrying strongly and featuring regularly as a lineout target. His line break towards the end – legs pumping in open field – showed just how much of a loss he will be to New Zealand rugby. Openside Blake Gibson also linked well in the wide channels and frequently challenged the breakdown.
Other than conceding a charged-down try in the first half, Ihaia West controlled proceedings well; his up and under kicking game in combination with Matt Duffie – a freak in this area – was a highlight. West also nailed 18 points off the boot, and set up Melani Nanai’s strike with a perfectly-judged nudge in behind.
Umaga will take confidence from the fact his stand-in leaders stood up at this early stage. The Blues were never going to have it all their own way. Their defence was exposed at times down the short side – Akira Ioane a culprit.