Chiefs left feeling Blue
The Blues started their assault on the Super 14 competition with a convincing 32-14 victory over the Chiefs in Auckland on Saturday.
Last Updated: 16/02/08 9:33am
The Blues started their assault on the Super 14 competition with a convincing 32-14 victory over the Chiefs in a frenetic encounter in Auckland on Saturday.
The Eden Park crowd were treated to four sparkling tries from the home team, with only a Mils Muliaina score in reply for the Chiefs.
This was it. This was what the law changes intended - skilful rugby players running with the ball. It produced a match of thrilling movement.
It did not start that way. It started with bumbling and erratic handling on the night air at Eden Park, but it was almost as if that first half was just the warm-up for better things to come in the second half, and better things came all right - at least for the Blues who literally ran away with the Chiefs.
The Chiefs actually led 11-8 at half-time and were in the game. They had had their share of chances - Isa Nacewa just beating Muliaina to the touch down after a long grubber, a strong run by Sitiveni Sivivatu and three missed kicks at goal by Stephen Donald.
But there were also signs of weakness already. Their scrum buckled easily and the Blues loose forwards looked more effective.
There were in that half only four line-outs. The teams kicked less often than some did!
After Donald had missed a penalty attempt, the Blues attacked. They tapped a free-kick and Nacewa was there to set them running. Jerome Kaino was just short and then veteran Danny Lee, playing his 50th Super Rugby match for his fourth franchise, nipped over at the ankles of the Chiefs big men.
Goaled
Donald then goaled a more difficult penalty than the one he had missed and then a second to give the Chiefs a 6-5 lead after 14 minutes.
However Muliaina was then caught offside and Nick Evans goaled to put the Blues 8-6 in front.
There was a wonderful passage of play late in the second half after a Donald penalty had bounced back off the upright. Evans went skating off on a long run and then Sivivatu came bounding back. The Blues countered and then Donald cut them to pieces. He gave to Brendon Leonard who stumbled close. The Blues conceded a free-kick at the breakdown and Muliaina scored. Donald's kick again went away off the upright.
After reaching the break 11-8 in front, the Chiefs started the second period as if they were whooping their way to victory with Leonard, Muliaina and Donald cattacking at will.
However, the Chiefs then started to lose their way and from a turn-over Joe Rokocoko pounded down the left touch-line, beating two. Muliaina dashed back on defence and dived to tackle but the ball was knocked into the in-goal area where Troy Flavell was first to it to get a hand to it. Evans converted.
A Donald penalty made it 15-14 after 54 minutes but then came the first of two tries from scrums as the Blues used the space provided by the law change.
From a scrum on the left, the ball went to Evans going right. He gave to Benson Stanley who looked static until he turned the ball inside to Rokocoko coming in from the left wing. Rokocoko handed off Lauaki with great ease and dived over under the posts. Evans converted.
Evans kicked a penalty and then the Blues came back and again used a well-worked move from a scrum to score their bonus-point try.
The scrum was slightly to the left and they split their backs with Evans. The ball went from Kaino in the No.8 position, to replacement half Taniela Moa. Moa gave to Nacewa who was up in the line. Nacewa dummied and beat Tanerau Latimer before giving to Ben Atiga, who swerved his way over for a try at the posts which delighted the Blues.
