Watch: Rieko Ioane breaks all-time Blues record with try against Crusaders

All Blacks centre Rieko Ioane is officially the most prolific try scorer in Blues history, going clear of legendary winger Doug Howlett with an effort midway through the first half in Friday’s semi-final defeat to the Crusaders.

Before the All Blacks squad is announced on June 23, Ioane made a statement in the business end of the Super Rugby Pacific season, scoring four tries in three matches, which included a headline-grabbing hat-trick against the NSW Waratahs.

After drawing level with Howlett against the Tahs, Ioane had a chance to make history last time out against the Chiefs in Hamilton, but the midfielder didn’t cross for a try in that dramatic qualifying final at FMG Stadium Waikato.

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With Ioane heading off to European heavyweights Leinster next season on sabbatical, the Blues centre was running out of time in a race to break the record before heading overseas. But Ioane made history against the Crusaders, scoring under the sticks in the 19^th minute.

Mark Tele’a had given the Blues an early lead, with the winger benefiting from clever build-up play from Finlay Christie and Beauden Barrett, but it was Ioane who put the underdogs in a commanding position at Apollo Projects Stadium.

Finlay peeled off a scrum before finding Tele’a, who delivered a short to Ioane. Ioane had run a superb line to get into that position, but the 81-Test All Black still had plenty of work to do, with Noah Hotham standing between him and the try line.

Hotham braced for impact but Ioane was running too fast and too determined. Ioane crashed over for the score and was immediately swarmed by other Blues players, starting with Tele’a, before Christie and even some of the replacements ran over.

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Barrett converted the try to give the Blues a 14-nil lead, but the visitors wouldn’t score another point in the semi-final as the Crusaders took control. It started almost immediately, with Tom Christie crossing for the Crusaders’ first points three minutes after Ioane’s try.

All Blacks fullback Will Jordan helped level the scores deep into the half with a try four minutes before the break, with first five-eighth adding the extras to make it a 14-all ball game. Jordan completed a double later on, scoring almost 30 minutes into the second term.

That second try for Jordan was the only five-pointer scored in the second 40. The Blues gave it everything in the dying stages, hoping to send the semi-final to extra-time, but the Crusaders held on – punching their ticket to the big dance.

That was the final match in Blues colours for Mark Tele’a, Harry Plummer, Ricky Riccitelli and Adrian Choat. With Ioane also heading offshore, the Blues will usher in a new era next season without some stalwarts and club greats.

“We’ve had obviously had some really key guys part of our team for a while now are leaving and they’ve provided a lot of service, great service to the Blues jersey,” Tuipulotu said post-game on Sky Sport.

“We just want to wish them all the best as they endeavour on their new journey. We know they’ll still represent the Blues very proudly.

“Gutted that we couldn’t do the job and get another week but as I said before, that’s rugby.”