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Watch: The Blues' virtuoso kicking game that proved the difference in their win over the Highlanders
The Blues have emerged victorious against the Highlanders, giving them a perfect three wins from three wins in the Super Rugby Aotearoa competition. While praise has been fairly lavished on the danger-men on the Blues wings and in the midfield, it’s the playmakers and their expert kicking that may well have been the difference on Saturday night.
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Highly anticipated new signing Beauden Barrett hasn’t yet set the world alight with the speed and creativity with ball in hand that he’s known for, but his combination with Otere Black has made the Blues an exceptionally hard nut to crack.
From the first minutes of the match, Barrett and Black peppered the Highlanders back three with swirling high balls. New Highlanders fullback Scott Gregory, in particular, struggled with the dropping bombs and an early mistake by the Northlander gave the Blues the territory and possession they needed to score the first try of the match.
It wasn’t just towering Gary Owens that Barrett and Black relied on, however.
Kick-passes to wingers and loosies looming near the sidelines helped the Blues maintain their momentum while perfectly placed kicks for territory kept the Highlanders pinned back in their 22.
It was a slightly less glamourous, dinky grubber towards the corner flag from Barrett that contributed to the Blues’ second try of the game.
35-metres out from the Highlanders’ try-line, Barrett threaded the ball into the corner and Gregory waited and waited, hoping that the ball would bobble into touch. That never happened. Instead, Gregory had to field the ball from deep inside his 22 and his attempted touch-finder was charged down by Hoskins Sotutu. All Blacks flanker Dalton Papalii was on hand to dive on the ball and score the try.
? Hoskins Sotutu with the try assist!
Watch on @SkySportNZ to see if @BluesRugbyTeam can stay on top at Eden Park.#BLUvHIG pic.twitter.com/cBVjkqibb7
— Super Rugby (@SuperRugbyNZ) June 27, 2020
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Social media was abuzz with admiration for just how tactically proficient the Blues were at commanding territory through the boot.
Really noticing Barrett’s quality kicking off both right and left boot. Don’t think Aussie players can come close to matching that ambidexterity #BLUvHIG
— James Duncan (@jdunc0305) June 27, 2020
The Blues kicking into that left corner has been excellent all game. Great chase to force the block and score through Papali’i. #BLUvHIG
— EK Rugby Analysis (@ek_rugby) June 27, 2020
Really smart kicking game being adapted by the Blues. #BLUvHIG
— Ciaron Noble (@CiaronNoble98) June 27, 2020
Another example of the Blues using their kicking game really well. Scott Gregory was under plenty of pressure there and it counted. Well followed up by the two of the Blues’ loose forwards. #BLUvHIG
— Dylan Jack (@dylanmattjack) June 27, 2020
Blues’ tactical kicking light years better this season. Nock a step up as a passing halfback too. #bluvhig
— Simon Mee (@SimonMee5) June 27, 2020
One kick, in particular, garnered specific praise – when number 8 Sotutu picked the ball up at the back of the scrum and punted off a kick of his own.
Did… did Sotutu just casually take a ball off the scrum and kick it with pinpoint accuracy to put the Highlanders under pressure inside their 22m? WHERE HAS THIS KID BEEN?!?!!? #BLUvHIG
— Brodyn Knuckey (@BKnuckey) June 27, 2020
Love it when a number 8 picks up and nudges one down the touch line ? #BLUvHIG
— Ross Jones (@RossJones1992) June 27, 2020
The Blues can settle into their bye-week knowing that they’re ticking all the right boxes at the moment. Yes, there are work ons – but across the park, they’re doing everything they need to get the wins.
Comments on RugbyPass
Pick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
15 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
4 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
4 Go to commentsAI is only as good as the information put in, the nuances of the sport, what you see out the corner of the eye, how you sum up in a split second the situation, yes the AI is a tool but will not help win games, more likely contribute to a loss, Rugby Players are not robots, all AI can do if offer a solution not the solution. AI will effect many sports, help train better golfers etc.
45 Go to commentsIt couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
26 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
15 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
26 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
15 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
84 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
4 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
15 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
14 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
15 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
15 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
15 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to comments