VIDEO: Blues blow hapless Highlanders away
SUPER RUGBY AOTEAROA MATCH REPORT: The Blues continued to enhance their claim as the only real threat to the Crusaders' dominance.
The Auckland-based franchise blew the Highlanders away on Sunday - outscoring them by five tries to two in a commanding 39-17 win at Eden Park.
They are the only two unbeaten teams - the Crusaders top with three wins from three outing and the Blues in second with two wins.
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The Blues, in a confident frame of mind, emerged as the only credible challengers to the Crusaders.
The win over the hapless Highlanders set the stage for their clash next week with the only other unbeaten side, the defending champions Crusaders.
In their first home game of the season after a bye last week, having been stranded away from home when Auckland was in a COVID-enforced lockdown the week before, the Blues ran in five tries to two.
The Highlanders had the perfect start with a handy penalty by Josh Ioane in the opening minutes.
But it was not long before the superiority of the Blues pack was showing and Rieko Ioane led a sharp-looking backline that carved holes in the Highlanders defence as they raced to a 17-3 lead by half-time.
A week ago, the Highlanders rallied from 6-20 down to beat the Chiefs 39-23, but this time there was to be no miracle comeback as the Blues piled on a further 22 points in the second half.
"It was a good motivator for us to get the scoreline that we did," Blues captain Paddy Tuipulotu said, noting the strength of his forwards which is also a key weapon for the Crusaders.
"We can be happy with our line-out options, our scrum, it's going to be a weapon for us.
"I can't fault our effort, the scoreline shows that, and we'll go back and look forward to the Crusaders who are on form."
After Josh Ioane's fourth-minute penalty, the Blues bounced back with a converted try by Otere Black to cap a move that started with turnover ball and featured a strong break by an impressive Rieko Ioane.
Caleb Clarke scored their second try, after Rieko Ioane found space running off a cut-out pass from Black.
After a forward pass denied Rieko Ioane a try following a length-of-the-field move with his brother Akira Ioane, a Black penalty pushed the Blues out to a 17-3 lead.
Replacements Emoni Narawa and Kurt Eklund scored in the opening 10 minutes of the second half to extend the lead, before Ash Dixon scored the Highlanders' scored first try off a line-out drive.
Another Black penalty and an Akira Ioane try pushed the Blues out to 39-10 before the Highlanders secured a late try through Folau Fakatava.
The scorers
For the Blues
Tries: Black, Clarke, Narawa, Eklund, A Ioane
Cons: Black 4
Pens: Black 2
For the Highlanders
Tries: Dixon, Fakatava
Cons: Ioane 2
Pens: Ioane
Yellow card: Josh Dickson (Highlanders, 39 - repeated infringements, playing opponent in the air), Sam Nock (Blues, 70 - cynical foul, playing the ball off his feet)
Teams:
Blues: 15 Stephen Perofeta, 14 Mark Telea, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Harry Plummer, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Otere Black, 9 Jonathan Ruru; 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 7 Dalton Papalii, 6 Akira Ioane, 5 Sam Darry, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu (captain), 3 Ofa Tuungafasi, 2 Luteru Tolai, 1 Karl Tu’inukuafe.
Replacements: 16 Kurt Eklund, 17 James Lay, 18 Nepo Laulala, 19 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 20 Tom Robinson, 21 Sam Nock, 22 Tanielu Tele’a, 23 Emoni Narawa.
Highlanders: 15 Connor Garden-Bachop, 14 Ngatugnane Punivai, 13 Michael Collins, 12 Patelesio Tomkinson, 11 Jona Nareki, 10 Josh Ioane, 9 Aaron Smith (co-captain), 8 Hugh Renton, 7 James Lentjes, 6 Shannon Frizell, 5 Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 4 Josh Dickson, 3 Siate Tokolahi, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Ethan De Groot.
Replacements: 16 Ash Dixon (co-captain), 17 Josh Hohneck, 18 Jeff Thwaites, 19 Bryn Evans, 20 Marino Mikaele Tu’u, 21 Folau Fakatava, 22 Mitch Hunt, 23 Billy Harmon.
Referee: Mike Fraser
Assistant referees: Brendon Pickerill, Ben O’Keeffe
TMO: Paul Williams