Blues unleash attacking powers against hapless Rebels
RECORDS crumbled and credibility took a serious hit as the Blues returned to ruthless ways with an embarrassing rout of the Melbourne Rebels at Eden Park last night.
The Blues put an underwhelming twoweek tour of Australia firmly in the rear vision by running in 11 tries in their 10th straight victory this season.
By the break, leading 4714, the Blues notched the secondhighest halftime score in Super Rugby history, behind the Crusaders’ 63 against the Waratahs in 2002.
In the end the Blues finished three points shy of their highest alltime score.
As New Zealand’s best team thumped one of Australia’s worst, suggestions Super Rugby
Pacific’s competitiveness had undergone a dramatic shift following last weekend’s tight results may need an immediate rethink, too.
The Rebels claimed the first two tries, and were then made to resemble a secondrate club side as the Blues showcased their attacking potency across the park to score 66 unanswered points.
The visitors finally mustered two consolation tries after being held scoreless for 70 minutes.
The Blues did the damage up front with their forward pack consistently going through the middle to produce a series of seamless onehanded offloads Sonny Bill Williams would be proud of.
In different movements Ofa Tuungafasi, Akira Ioane, Kurt Eklund, Hoskins Sotutu and James Tucker combined to split the woeful Rebels defence.
In between times Akira Ioane bagged a contrasting double, Caleb Clarke beat four defenders in a 58m break from the restart and Perofeta pulled the strings, with a personal haul of 21 points.
Rieko Ioane ran rampant in the midfield and Mark Talea’s spectacular somersault finish in the corner will be replayed for many weeks to come.
For all the enjoyment of the crowd this was not the sort of result the competition needs. It was exactly the performance that continues to fuel the belief Aus
tralia has at least one too many teams. — The New Zealand Herald