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Blues hold strong for bonus point win over physical Fijian Drua
The Super Rugby Pacific ladder-leading Blues have been given a scare by battlers Fijian Drua before scrambling to a 35-18 victory in their AAMI Park clash.
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The Blues have only lost once in eight games this season and were coming off a win over fellow New Zealand heavyweights, the Crusaders, which was their first at Christchurch in 18 years.
But they were unsettled by the competition newcomers in their Saturday afternoon clash in Super Round, which features five games over the weekend in Melbourne.
The Blues struggled to find their usual rhythm in the face of the fierce physicality of the Fijians, who have only chalked up one victory in their campaign.
With their silky skills on show, the Drua dominated possession but too often were unable to capitalise on the pressure they put on their opponents.
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“They’re not like any other team – they’re very unique and I think that’s what caught us out,” Blues coach Leon MacDonald said.
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“Their style is different and the way that they attack the game is refreshing and we sit here frustrated because we were unable to play the game we wanted because they didn’t allow us.
“It was a scrappy performance and we just couldn’t get our flow going at all …. but we won and we got got five points and that’s what we wanted.”
The teams traded early tries before the Blues kicked away to a halftime score of 21-10 with two further converted tries.
Lock Sam Darry crossed followed by Marcel Renata, who was on the field while prop Nepo Laulala was in the blood-bin.
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League recruit Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was solid in his 60-minute effort, almost setting up a late first-half try before his pass was spilt by his target.
Ten minutes into the second half Blues centre Rieko Ioane showed his acceleration to snatch an intercept and dash 70 metres to touch down but the Drua refused to go away.
They closed to within 10 points when they mauled the ball off a lineout before hulking winger Onisi Ratave busted through the defensive line to touch down.
Blues winger AJ Lam then showed another way to score, using clever footwork to step through for his second of the night, extending their lead to 17 points with 15 minutes remaining.
The Blues had to toil down a man for the final 10 minutes after losing reserve prop Karl Tu’inukuafe to a yellow card after repeated team infringements, but they managed to hang tough to secure a bonus point.
Comments on RugbyPass
Chiefs flanker Kaylum Boshier yellow-carded for collapsing the scrum as it rolled towards the line. It was a maul….
1 Go to commentsyou know, i’m a leinster fan so I want Northampton to lose and it is gonna be tuff with Cortney lawes, Alex michell and the other guys🏉 lets go leinster🏉
1 Go to commentsWelcome to the Pro ranks. Those hard teams of old do hit the sole better though. its a dog fight at the top.
6 Go to commentsCan someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
227 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
3 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
86 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
29 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
227 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
227 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
19 Go to commentsI would like to see a rule change, when the attacking team is held up over the try line, by allowing the defensive team to restart a goal line drop out releases the pressure for the defensive team, but what if the attacking team had to restart a tap 5m out from the defensive team it gives the attacking team to apply more pressure, there are endless options for the attacking side and it will keep the fans in suspence.
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