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Second-half Chiefs blitz send Blues to Christchurch for Qualifying Final
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Jono Gibbes’ Chiefs have blown the Blues off the park in the second 40 minutes at FMG Stadium Waikato, earning a morale-boosting, 59-34 triumph in Hamilton.
The home side had a narrow, 19-15 lead at halftime, but a superb second-half performance gave the Blues their third-straight defeat in Super Rugby Pacific.
Despite already securing their place in the top-six playoff spots, the Blues struggled to contain the second-placed Chiefs on Saturday, conceding nine tries.
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For the Chiefs, it was a clear message of intent as they head into a home Qualifying Final against the Queensland Reds next Saturday evening.
Cotter’s Blues were forced into a late change, with experienced All Blacks prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi joining the bench in place of Joshua Fusitu’a.
The Blues’ breakdown intent was clear from the get-go, as they immediately applied pressure and forced a turnover in the second minute. The Blues earned a penalty when Pita Ahki carried strongly off the first phase.
Sam Nock identified space towards the short side of the ruck, firing a cut-out ball to Torian Barnes, who pierced through a gap in the Chiefs’ defence to open the scoring. Stephen Perofeta added the extras, giving the away side a 7-0 lead.
Cotter’s side opted not to take a three right out in front, before coughing up the resulting lineout, but they wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
Australian Referee Angus Gardner called Jahrome Brown offside twice in the space of a couple of phases, making the three points too easy to turn down, as Zarn Sullivan extended the lead to 10-0.
The Chiefs finally got their hands on the ball deep inside the Blues half, creating a huge hole in their opponents defensive line, giving Jacomb the time and space to put Reon Paul through on a one-on-one with Sullivan, firing a right-to-left pass to Kyren Taumoefolau.
The 23-year-old former Moana Pasifika winger had the simple task of dotting the ball down in the corner, with no Blues defenders in sight. Jacomb failed to convert from the sideline, keeping the score at 10-5 to the Blues after 27 minutes.
The Chiefs were in again minutes later, this time on the back of a beautifully worked lineout drive, thrown, and scored by Tyrone Thompson.
Thompson has the most effective lineout throwing rate in the Super Rugby Pacific competition, finding himself at the back of the maul that would eventually cross with relative ease.
Gibbes’ side started to kick into gear with ball in hand, stretching the Blues’ defence far and wide. Jacomb and co created a four-on-one overlap to the right-hand side, resulting in Daniel Sinkinson’s first of the evening.
An obstruction penalty gifted the Blues a late opportunity in the first half to strike back, as they secured one of their first lineouts of the evening.
The maul stopped abruptly as they tripped over their own player on the ground, allowing Nock to spread the ball wide to their dangerous outside backs. Quick hands through Perofeta saw AJ Lam go in for his eighth try of the season on the stroke of halftime.
Sullivan’s attempt from the touchline drifted wide, but it was an important end to the half for Cotter’s men.
HT: 19-15 to the Chiefs.
It didn’t take long for the home side to wrestle momentum back in their favour in the second forty minutes, with the Chiefs’ captain on the night, Wallace Sititi, using his initiative to extend their lead.
The Blues were completely outmuscled at scrum time five meters from the line, allowing Sititi to take a quick tap and storm towards and over the line to score the try.
Minutes later, a second try was awarded for Lam, but a superman-like try-saving tackle by Jacomb pushed the ball free as Angus Gardner overturned his original decision.
Cotter’s side continued to battle hard at the breakdown as replacements entered the frame, providing some second-half impact in the forward pack. Eli Oudenryn was one of those, who powered over the line after multiple attempts, to bring the Blues back into the contest.
Sullivan couldn’t convert, retaining their six-point lead.
Just as the Auckland-based franchise threatened to shut down the Chiefs defensively, a swift shift to the right side put Sinkinson in for his second of the evening. Jacomb’s right-boot extended the lead to thirteen.
A piece of individual brilliance by Liam Coombes-Fabling brought up 40 points for the home side, pouncing on a misjudgement by Perofeta.
With the game already out of reach, the Hamilton-based franchise added their eighth try against the Blues through a potent Naitoa Ah Kuoi carry close to the line.
The away side’s defence, which deteriorated as the contest entered it’s final stages, conceded another try shortly after as Paul crossed for a well-worked five-pointer.
Xavi Taele and Clarke walked in consolation tries untouched, before skilful interplay by Taumoefolau and Samipeni Finau added another seven points to the already enormous lead.
FT: 59-34 to the Chiefs in Hamilton.
The Chiefs will host the Queensland Reds in a Qualifying Final next Saturday night in Hamilton, at 7:05pm NZST.
Cotter’s Blues will take on the Crusaders in Christchurch at One New Zealand Stadium, at 4:35pm NZST.
