Half-century start bodes well for Blues
The Blues savoured a return to transtasman relations by running riot in Melbourne last night.
After winning two of their last six games in a disappointing Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign, the Blues reduced the Rebels to a bumbling mess to highlight the disparity in opposition and extend New Zealand’s record in the transtasman competition to four from four.
The Blues scrum, led by powerful All Blacks prop Karl Tu’inukuafe’s best performance of the season, destroyed the Rebels to set the tone for the statement performance.
There was no respite when Ofa Tu’ungafasi and Nepo Laulala came off the bench, either.
On the back of that supremely dominant platform, the Blues regained their dented confidence to score six tries — five in the second spell — in a superb attacking display.
With dominant carries and direct intent, the Blues were consistently on the front foot, which allowed Finlay Christie’s crisp delivery to regularly set their backline alight. Once on top, the Blues’ ambition and breadth of skill came to the fore in a way not seen this year.
The Rebels, after pushing head coach Dave Wessels out the door, will now be contemplating a nightmare month, with four more Kiwi matches to come. In this game, they would have welcomed a mercy rule.
The Blues led 17-3 at halftime but stepped up several gears in the second half, with Hoskins Sotutu and Akira Ioane claiming doubles to notch a half century and a bonuspoint win to get the second stage of their season off to the perfect start.
Holding the Rebels scoreless in the second spell is sure to please Blues coach Leon MacDonald just as much as watching his men regain their attacking mojo.
With the winless Waratahs due at Eden Park next week, the Blues have a chance to further press their claims.
They arrived with tactics to put the ball in behind the Rebels by harnessing their multiple kicking options. Rookie wing AJ Lam, fullback Zarn Sullivan and first-five Otere Black all contributed to pinning the Rebels inside their 22 to build pressure, which led to points.
It wasn’t a flawless start from the Blues, though, with execution lacking. Rieko Ioane dropped the ball three times, while Sullivan was guilty on another occasion to squander chances to convert. The Blues also botched one lineout five metres from the Rebels line.
With their attitude to defensive line speed, the Blues put the Rebels under consistent pressure, which should have created the opening try for Bryce Heem, only for the TMO to rule a knock on from Ioane’s spot tackle. This was a dubious decision, as a knock on cannot be ruled from the ball glancing the shoulder.
Through Black’s boot and an impressive 48m strike from Sullivan, the Blues steadily built their lead.
They were under the pump only once when openside Adrian Choat was sent to the bin for coming in from the side to collapse a Rebels maul metres from the line.
In this instance, the Blues were fortunate not to concede a penalty try and they escaped from the next play with Josh Goodhue pinching a crucial lineout.
Just before the break, while one man short, the Blues struck a telling blow, with Tom Robinson claiming the opening try following a scrum switch move that started on halfway and featured interchanges forwards.
In a win achieved without captain Patrick Tuipulotu and All Blacks flanker Dalton Papalii, the Blues never allowed the Rebels back in the match, displaying a ruthless edge they will now hope to maintain. several offloads and between backs and
Rebels 3 (Matt To'omua pen) Blues 50 (Hoskins Sotutu 2, Akira Ioane 2, Tom Robinson, AJ Lam tries; Otere Black 2 cons, 3 pens, Zarn Sullivan pen, Harry Plummer 2 cons). HT: 17-3.