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Blues vs Force takes: Blues identity crisis, find of the year
By Ben Smith
The Blues outlasted a resilient Western Force side in Perth to claim their first win of the season by 42-32 in a high-scoring contest out west.
It was a back-and-forth game, with neither side really getting dominance until the Blues were able to pull away in the final 30 minutes. The Force have been slow starters after copping a big score against the Brumbies, but they were much better in round two.
Here are four quick takes from the Blues win over the Force.
Blues identity crisis
The Blues bucked the trend of high octane wide attacking rugby the last couple of years, playing a narrow forward-orientated power game. That meant the direct approach, pick and goes around the ruck and one-out carries off nine to bend the opposition into submission. After last year’s fall off, they are clearly moving back towards more attacking rugby as they try to get back to the top.
That falls on the 9-10-15 combination which in Perth was Finlay Christie, Stephen Perofeta and Zarn Sullivan. It is showing plenty of promise, but it just isn’t well-oiled yet. The best play came from a set-piece launch late in the second half. Caleb Clarke burst through the line from a short ball and had the Force reeling. A quick clearance from Christie gave Sullivan the chance to draw the last man and put Cole Forbes over. Two phases for the score and perfectly executed.
Sullivan himself combined beautifully with Dalton Papalii for a break down the left edge, going over untouched after running onto the offload.
There is plenty of good but also plenty of brain fades. On a scrum play just outside their 22 running a wide exit play, the pass from Christie was a shocker and Perofeta dropped it cold for a turnover under their own sticks. Sullivan booted a long driving kick 60 metres dead. The Blues fullback finished with a game high four turnovers lost.
As the Blues open up the playbook the game drivers will need to find accuracy and cohesion or the Blues will leak 30+ points.
Force pack growing
The Force still put 32 points on the Blues and their big pack deserves credit for that. When they were able to pin the Blues into the corner they profited frequently, using power to force their way over.
Tizzano scored one from close range after a long build up, tighthead Harry Johnson-Holmes also scored in similar fashion. The Force have big options and decided to use Wallaby lock Jeremy Williams at 6, with Argentina’s Franco Molina and another Wallaby Darcy Swain in the second row. Those big bodies are hard to stop when the carry clean gets going. The front row of Tom Robertson, Brandon Paenga-Amosa and Johnson-Holmes all have international experience.
When four of the tight five went off just after 50 minutes, it was a one-point game at 21-20. The Blues had the stronger bench and it showed, but doesn’t detract from the Force have a very capable starting unit.
Blues find of the season
The Blues pack had two standouts, the first being starting lock Josh Beehre, who was an imposing figure on Saturday afternoon. He made the second-most tackles with 17 for the Blues, and really set the tone with physicality coming up off the line. He put a monstrous shot on Darcy Swain in the second half that forced a turnover, the ball spat out of Swain’s hands as the perfectly timed tackle dislodged it. In the carry game he also brought value, scoring a try himself as the Blues went to their old identity many times to get the job done. Beehre is a big man who can’t be brought down easily.
The other was the impact of impressive rookie Torian Barnes, who was widely praised after his debut last week against the Chiefs. This week he came off the bench and his cameo helped lift the Blues. He powered over for a key try to lift the Blues to a 28-20 lead shortly after being injected into the game. He offered an option at the lineout and made two dominant hits in defence. He finished with seven tackles in his 31 minutes of action.
Barnes might be the find of the season if he continues to play like this.
Caleb Clarke looking ready to explode
The All Black wing didn’t find the scoresheet in Perth but he looks like the Blues best player when he has the ball right now. He topped the defenders beaten charts with five, and his half line break set up the crucial score for the other wing Cole Forbes. He finished with 8 touches for 30 metres.
There was a beautiful intercept taken off his bootlaces that Clarke would have certainly raced away to score from, but the Force were playing with an advantage and the play was called back. In full stride, Clarke looks dangerous.
He finished with 10 tries in the 2024 championship-winning season and 22 line breaks, the most of any player.
With the Blues looking to play with more endeavour in 2026, it won’t be long before Clarke explodes for a big game, 150+ running metres and a couple of tries.
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