Blues finally end long derby drought
The streak from hell is over. After more than three years, and 20 matches of futility, the Blues finally have a victory over a Kiwi Super Rugby rival.
That dreadful winless run, which stretched back to round one of 2016 against the same Highlanders outfit on the same ground, was finally snapped last night at Eden Park as Leon MacDonald’s Blues – at long last – held their nerve to secure a 33-26 victory over the Highlanders. It’s been a long, long time between drinks, but that amber liquid sure tasted sweet in the home changingrooms as the celebrations unfurled into the night.
The Blues’ last victory over a Kiwi rival had been their 33-31 win over the Highlanders in Tana Umaga’s first match as head coach.
This sweet win well and truly lights the fuse on their 2019 campaign, their second victory of the season taking them back into the race on 10 competition points. The Highlanders pick up a single bonus point for their third defeat of the campaign to edge up to 13 points.
The huge result was nailed by a 73rd-minute try to replacement Blues lock – and acting captain – Patrick Tuipulotu as he powered over from close after the home side had thrown the kitchen sink at the Highlanders who were clinging to a 26-23 lead at the time.
Rieko Ioane, Karl Tu’inukuafe, Ma’a Nonu, Dalton Papalii and Tom Robinson had all featured, and the All Black lock could not be stopped when he took his turn. Otere Black’s conversion and a 77th-minute penalty completed the upset.
Rieko Ioane was once again the star of the show for the Blues with two quality tries to stud a busy night, but, boy, fullback Melani Nanai was not far behind him with an exhilarating display of open-field running. He scored one try and was a menace throughout with his mix of pace and footwork.
Blues loose forward Robinson was the best of the home pack. He’s a rookie, this flame-haired Northlander, but you wouldn’t know it with the consistency, class and out-and-out workrate he has delivered throughout this campaign. That power-packed home bench also contributed plenty over the final quarter.
The Smiths, Ben and Aaron, were quality all night for the visitors, which set them apart from their All Black team-mate Waisake Naholo who had a night to forget, which went from bad to worse when he copped a late yellow card for a lift tackle on Robinson.
That big, abrasive Highlanders pack did what they do well, which is to say they scrummed like all heck (notching a try and a gift penalty directly from their superiority at the set piece) and edged the physical contest, but it was not enough on a night when the Blues’ X-factor finally served up the result.
An entertaining first half had ended with the Blues leading 15-13 after running in two tries to one – both strikes coming from long range to highlight the strikepower of this side of Leon MacDonalds’s.
Both Blues scores went to inform wing Rieko Ioane, the All Black No 11 taking his tally to six for the season (all in the last two matches) with strikes in the 10th and 33rd minutes.
Ioane was the inspiration and perspiration for his opening score, slicing through off a lineout win around halfway, gliding between Aaron Smith and Dillon Hunt as though they were wearing concrete boots, and then tying Naholo in knots as the dreadfully outgunned final line of defence.
For his second act the wing ran a beautiful support line to steam on to ball served up via a twinkle-toed Nanai break, leaving Liam Coltman and Ayden Johnstone for dead, and TJ Faiane’s excellent link run. It started, appropriately, off a turnover laid on by Akira Ioane.
The Highlanders did muster a try of their own – Luke Whitelock finishing a fearsome scrum pushover in the 18th minute – and did well to stay in the contest, courtesy of a three-for-three half by Marty Banks off the tee. The visitors looked most threatening when the classy Ben Smith managed to breach with two dazzling runs from deep.
After a couple of penalties were traded early in the second half, for the fourth and fifth lead changes of this absorbing contest, Highlanders wing Tevita Li struck with an unlikely try in the 54th minute that gave the visitors the lead, 23-18.
Blues No 10 Harry Plummer looked set to launch a stock clearance, but sliced the ball badly and Li did well to first rise up and snaffle the ball and then dash away on a 30m run to the line after TJ Faiane got caught up with a support runner.
But the Blues struck back, with Faiane’s break putting Melani Nanai away for his first try of the season, and his team’s third on the night, as the scores were knotted at 23-23 entering the final quarter.
Banks put the visitors in front shortly after, but this time itw as the Blues who sealed the deal with their strong finish. Streak-busters they are.
Blues 33
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