Hurricanes break their Super duck
Despite the Blues dominating the first quarter and taking an 8-0 lead, the Hurricanes scored 15 unanswered points in a 10-minute blitz - to take a 15-8 lead into the half-time break.
Try as they might the Blues just could not get back into the lead, with their own poor discipline and the Hurricanes determined defence keeping them out.
They did get back in the game and created a chance for a late winner, but they just could not crack the Hurricanes' defensive line.
Last year's beaten finalists, reeling after defeats in the opening two rounds, had to muster all their defensive prowess as the Blues laid siege to their line in the final 15 minutes of the game at Eden Park.
They outscored the Blues three tries to two, including a brace for stand-in captain TJ Perenara, but were lucky to escape with their first win of the season.
"For the guys to defend like that shows they really wanted it," flank Ardie Savea said.
"But we let them into the game, we can't do that."
Savea said the Hurricanes, who were the competition's runaway leaders last year before losing to the Highlanders in the final, "still have a lot to work on" to reclaim their 2015 form.
The Tana Umaga-coached Blues applied early pressure, only for Ihaia West to miss two penalties before finding his range and nailing a third.
Rene Ranger gave them the opening try in the 22nd minute, scooping up the ball on the right wing then leaping over a flailing Julian Savea to plant it in the corner.
The Hurricanes responded immediately when Victor Vito darted over the line from the back of a driving maul.
Perenara then gave Wellington a 15-8 half-time lead when he gathered Nehe Milner-Skudder's perfectly weighted chip kick and left three defenders in his wake.
Moala narrowed it to 15-13 two minutes after the restart thanks to some solid line-out work from the Blues.
The Hurricanes then worked the ball forward and Perenara crossed for his second, despite protests from the Eden park crowd that Julian Savea knocked on in the build up.
Tevita Li looked to spark a Blues revival with a scything run through the Hurricanes defence, but his outstanding effort was disallowed after replays showed it came off a forward pass.
West made it 19-23 with two penalties and the Blues pressed for a try, launching a series of line-outs only to be denied by dogged defending.
Man of the match: Charlie Faumuina, by some distance, was the most productive of the Blues' players. Beauden Barrett gave the visitors the direction they needed at a crucial stage, while loose forward Victor Vito, Ardie Savea and Brad Shields also put their bodies on the line. However, the spark that got the Hurricanes on the front foot was scrumhalf TJ Perenara - the winner of our award.
The scorers:
For the Blues:
Tries: Ranger, Moala
Pens: West 3
For the Hurricanes:
Tries: Vito, Perenara 2
Con: Barrett
Pens: Barrett 3
Yellow card: Victor Vito (Hurricanes, 82 - repeated infringements, collapsing maul)
Teams:
Blues: 15 Lolagi Visinia, 14 Rene Ranger, 13 Male Sa'u, 12 George Moala, 11 Tevita Li, 10 Ihaia West, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Akira Ioane, 7 Blake Gibson, 6 Jerome Kaino (captain), 5 Josh Bekhuis, 4 Steven Luatua, 3 Charlie Faumuina, 2 James Parsons, 1 Ofa Tu'ungafasi.
Replacements: 16 Quentin MacDonald, 17 Nic Mayhew, 18 Sione Mafileo, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Kara Pryor, 21 Billy Guyton, 22 Matt McGahan, 23 Melani Nanai.
Hurricanes: 15 James Marshall, 14 Nehe Milner-Skudder, 13 Vince Aso, 12 Ngani Laumape, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 TJ Perenara, 8 Victor Vito, 7 Ardie Savea, 6 Brad Shields, 5 Mark Abbott, 4 Blade Thomson, 3 Jeff Toomaga-Allen, 2 Leni Apisai, 1 Reggie Goodes.
Replacements: 16 Ricky Riccitelli, 17 Chris Eves, 18 Loni Uhila, 19 Vaea Fifita, 20 Callum Gibbins, 21 Jamison Gibson-Park, 22 Willis Halaholo, 23 Cory Jane.
Referee: Nick Briant (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand), Brett Johnson (New Zealand)
TMO: Shane McDermott (New Zealand)
@rugby365com & AFP