Blues stay perfect as Christie cuts loose
Three games, three bonus-point victories. The Blues are certainly taking care of their side of the equation in Super Rugby TransTasman as they positively thrive on the chance to beat up on some Aussie opposition.
After notching 98 points through the first two rounds, Leon MacDonald’s men put away Super Rugby AU runner-up the Brumbies with plenty of ease, running away to a 38-10 victory last night at Eden Park, five tries to one.
The thousands who stayed away, on a sparse night for attendance at the big stadium, missed another strong exhibition of attacking rugby from their side after they managed to shake loose of a muscular Brumbies challenge over the first half-hour.
A third straight bonus-point win takes the Blues on to a perfect 15 points, ahead of the Hurricanes on points difference, with the Crusaders tucked in a point behind. It was also a 13th victory from as many matches by the Kiwis over their Aussie rivals in this competition.
At this rate, you are going to need to win all five round-robin matches to even be in with a chance of making June’s grand
final. The Blues were very good over the second 40 against a Brumbies outfit that appeared to run out of puff. They dominated possession after the break and ran in three unanswered tries over the run home to seal the deal splendidly.
Halfback Finlay Christie was best on park for the victors, unleashing a monty all-round game, with a brilliant try, some outstanding tackling, excellent work on the kick-chase and of course his trademark crisp clearance.
Bryce Heem backed up last week’s hat-trick effort in impressive fashion too, crossing for one excellent try early in the second spell, putting in two outstanding kicks that forced 5m scrums and generally tidy as he solidified his status as first-choice right wing.
TJ Faiane was a rock on defence in midfield, and picked up a try, while Otere Black continued his assured form in the pivot. Dalton Papalii, back on starting duty at No 7, would have been happy with his night’s work too, excellent over the ball and outstanding on the tackle (leading the Blues with 16 tackles made, without a miss). Gerard CowleyTuioti also continued his standout form with another powerhouse display and the home breakdown work in general was a cut above their opponents.
It hadn’t been anywhere near a perfect first 40min from the Blues, but, like last round against the Waratahs, they managed the all-important try just before halftime to edge out to a 17-10 lead.
The Brumbies offered plenty through a willing first half, and even managed to gain some ascendancy at scrum time on the Blues’ tighthead side. But the X-factor and ability to turn nothing into something was vital for the home side late in the piece when Rieko Ioane’s slick midfield break was converted into a try by halfback Christie who slipped four would-be tacklers on a jinking 36-metre run to the line
The Blues had leapt out to 7-0 a quarter of an hour in when hooker Eklund notched his second try of the competition via the traditional lineout-drive route, with a little help when it mattered from flanker Papalii. But the Brumbies, who won the possession and territory battle for the first 40, weren’t going away, and were rewarded with a Noah Lolesio penalty and a lineoutdrive try of their own to hooker Connal McInerney that put them into a surprise 10-7 lead six minutes from the break.
That was time enough for
Otere Black to level the scores with a 3-pointer of his own and then for Christie to unleash those dancing feet for the go-ahead try that made those halftime oranges all the sweeter.
The third quarter was all the Blues as they got their hands on some quality possession and crossed for two important tries to ease out to a 31-10 advantage.
In-form wing Heem notched the first seven minutes in when locks Patrick Tuipulotu and Cowley-Tuioti carried powerfully, and Heem was eventually found on the nice inside line via a tipped pass from Black.
It was a similar avenue for AJ Lam’s score 11 minutes later when the home forwards worked double-figure phases, and then a nice wrap-around line from Lam put him into a gaping hole.
Faiane wrapped up the scoring nine minutes from time, via a strong run and offload from Harry Plummer, and the home side walked off the park content they had kept their opponents scoreless over the second 40.
Next up are the Reds Brisbane on Friday night. in