At last – Blues end 20-game winless run
Long drought against fellow Kiwi teams is finally over
33 Blues 26 Highlanders
The Blues ended their three-year horror run against New Zealand Super Rugby sides last night.
The curse is over, the cruel and unusual punishment for players, coaches and supporters alike consigned to history.
“They’re pretty happy in the sheds, as you can imagine,” said Blues coach Leon MacDonald.
“It’s a nice win to get, given the recent history and what’s happened this season as well.”
Their failure to beat a New Zealand team stops at 20 matches, and while they lacked a little accuracy at times, there can be no disputing they deserved to win this one.
In Rieko Ioane, they have a worldclass wing at the top of his powers and a decent support act in fullback Melani Nanai and centre TJ Faiane, all of whom created big problems for the visitors.
The Highlanders went close to shattering their dreams by riding their luck at Eden Park. But just as it looked as though they had done enough to get over the line, there was a bit of fortune for the home side in the form of a yellow card for Waisake Naholo for a lifting tackle in the 68th minute and an inspired finale from the Blues pack.
They out-scored their rivals four brilliant tries to two, and while the visitors had a better scrum and a firstfive in Marty Banks who kicked all six of his attempts at goal, in the end, it wasn’t enough, although they didn’t stop trying.
Trailing by three points with six minutes remaining, replacement lock Patrick Tuipulotu put the Blues ahead with a try by the posts, which was just reward for his performance — he brought some serious heat when replacing Josh Goodhue after half an hour — and a home side who tipped the form book on its head.
“It’s an area we haven’t been great at — close to their line and finishing off and scoring,” MacDonald said. “A lot of it is mindset and the will to get over that line. There were some big carries.
“I thought Patrick was outstanding in that area and all the forwards really rolled their sleeves up in that part of the field as well.”
Rieko Ioane had dynamite in his boots in scoring two tries to go with his four last time out against the Sunwolves and he haunted his opposite Naholo throughout.
Both his tries were superb but his first, when he turned Naholo inside out, was a classic.
The only issue for the Blues is that 23-year-old Ioane is nearly due a rest due to his All Blacks requirements.
A smiling MacDonald said: “He’s going to have to rest for a game very soon; I might organise a midweek game or something like that.”
Tuipulotu was good, and so was Akira Ioane, Blake Gibson and especially Tom Robinson. And while the scrum was under pressure at times — they conceded a pushover try to Luke Whitelock in the first half — the way the front row, boosted by the considerable figures of Ofa Tuungafasi and Karl Tu’inukuafe, was a credit to them. In the end, it was the Blues putting pressure on the Highlanders scrum.
The Blues also deserve credit for keeping their composure; for once, the cynics might say. A poor Harry Plummer clearance gifted former Blues player Tevita Li a try but they never dropped their heads; in fact, they came back stronger.
And now the Highlanders are on a streak — four games without a win.
Disappointed Highlanders coach Aaron Mauger said: “We were probably the masters of our own demise. I’m not taking anything away from the Blues — they thoroughly deserved their victory. They executed in those big moments, especially at the end there.”
Blues 33 (Rieko Ioane 2, Melani Nanai, Patrick Tuipulotu tries; Harry Plummer 2 pens, con, Otere Black con, pen)
Highlanders 26 (Luke Whitelock, Tevita Li tries; Marty Banks 4 pens, 2 cons)
Halftime: 15-13.