Blues beat clumsy Tahs

THE Auckland Blues put a disruptive build-up behind them to topple the NSW Waratahs 21-13 in their Super 15 rugby clash yesterday, maintaining their unbeaten home record at Eden Park.

At the end of a week in which the focus has been on the sudden return to rugby league of their high-profile code-hopper Benji Marshall, the Blues outscored the Sydneysiders two tries to one.

But in a game that did not reach great heights, the Blues struggled throughout to hold the ascendency while the Waratahs had ample possession but suffered from multiple handling errors.

It was the Blues’ fourth win of the season, all of them at Eden Park, and ended a two-match losing streak after they were downed by the Wellington Hurricanes and ACT Brumbies in recent weeks.

“The boys know how to play well at home. We were at a low point after losing those two games. We had to win this one and we did,” relieved captain Luke Braid said. The win lifted the Blues above the Highlanders in the New Zealand conference.

The Highlanders still have to play the competition-leading Sharks in South Africa this weekend.

The Waratahs, with five wins, remain second on the Australian ladder, one point ahead of the Western Force, who play the Northern Bulls on Saturday. The Waratahs produced the pressure in the first half but a succession of handling errors meant it was the Blues that produced the points, turning with an 8-3 lead.

A penalty to Simon Hickey was followed by a try to Lolagi Visinia, who won the ball for the Blues when he outleaped Michael Foley to field a high kick and then finished the move by fielding a long pass from Ma’a Nonu to score in the corner.

Jacques Potgieter eventually scored for the Waratahs at the end of a sustained build-up, with Foley adding the conversion and a second penalty to close the gap to 18-13 before a third Hickey penalty sealed the outcome.