High-flying Blues send a message to
Trans-Tasman champions put together a complete performance, writes Marc Hinton.
‘‘It’s in our DNA,’’ declared world-class Blues centre Rieko Ioane after the Super Rugby Pacific leaders delivered arguably their most emphatic statement of the season at Eden Park on Friday night.
Ioane was referring, of course, to the scintillating display of attacking rugby that saw the 10-1 Blues run in 11 tries as they crushed the Melbourne Rebels 71-28 to extend their win streak to 10 and tighten their grip on top spot on the table. In many ways it was the missing ingredient in what has been largely another major step up from the Auckland franchise in 2022.
There had been plenty of starch and vigour as the Blues completed the domestic component of their campaign with back-to-back road victories over the Chiefs and Crusaders.
But after an unconvincing fortnight in Australia, where the Blues were made to work hard in victories over the Fijian Drua and Western Force, this was as emphatic a statement as the Trans-Tasman champions have made all season in their pursuit of what they view as a ‘‘legitimate’’ banner in 2022.
After a horror start on Friday, where the Blues coughed up a 14-0 deficit in just four minutes, the
Auks slipped into top gear and left the Rebels in their dust.
‘‘Our group naturally is a team who likes to play those sort of games. It’s what’s in our DNA,’’ said Ioane after he ran in a hattrick of tries to improve his season tally to five. ‘‘We haven’t had one of those [this season] . . . they’ve been tough wins, gritty wins, and to finally get an open, running game like that . . . fluid rugby, everyone playing instinctively, not so much reactively, it was pleasing.
‘‘We’ve got game-breakers from 1-15, and when it clicks like that it’s something special. Seeing our forwards run like backs, and some of our backs running like forwards, it was awesome.’’
The Blues simply ran amok, led by Ioane and wing Caleb Clarke – desperate to atone after
sparked it all with a sharp display of sniping and service.
What’s more, the home forwards were even more dominant. Ofa Tuungafasi and Kurt Eklund, who ran for 33m apiece, showcased their standing as two of the premier front-rowers in this competition, James Tucker was a revelation in the second row and loosies Akira Ioane and Hoskins Sotutu had a field day as they combined for, not just three tries, but 110m with ball in hand.
Rieko Ioane, looking more and more a world-class No 13, paid tribute to his forwards on a night when every player in a Blues jersey got to strut their stuff.
‘‘As backs we know if our forwards don’t fire, we don’t have that platform to strike off. We have players in the backline who can break the game open but, first and foremost, we need that frontfoot ball, and our forwards are providing that. It’s not just those tough carries, we’ve got props and locks offloading, and to see the big boys playing so fluently, we’re happy as backs. Big ups to our forwards – this whole year they’ve really carried our backline.’’
The Blues now have the Reds (home) and Brumbies (away) over the next fortnight, before signing off the regular season at the Waratahs. Ioane is well aware how important this finishing stretch is.
‘‘We struggled the previous couple of weeks with the Drua and Force . . . it was important we made a statement, to give us that confidence going forward and a launchpad into the Reds next week back home.
‘‘The boys are locked in. We know how close we went last year to the New Zealand domestic final, only to miss out on the last couple of games, and we know how crucial home field advantage is.’’
Ioane and coach Leon MacDonald acknowledged Tuivasa Sheck’s continued progress.
‘‘He’s looking like a rugby player and like he belongs out there,’’ said MacDonald. ‘‘He fits in well, he’s connected in the D line now, communicating well, and starting to get a feel for the game.’’ Added Ioane: ‘‘He’s doing those hard carries, doing the hard cleans and tackling like a soldier out there. I’m stoked for him, and know the more time we get together it’s only going to be better for both of us.’’