The Blues have secured a crucial bonus point win as they defeated the Melbourne Rebels 38-11
The scoreline doesn’t reflect the flow of the game as the Rebels controlled territory at times, only to hit a Blue wall once they hit the line.
The Blues raced away with the game in the last quarter to secure maximum points.
Lock Sam Darry came on and scored a double to blow out the scoreline, with the Blues surviving a yellow card to Harry Plummer.
The class difference proved far greater than the standings might suggest, with the Blues running in five tries to one, with All Black winger Mark Tele’a also finishing with a double.
For the most part the Rebels matched the Blues and judging by statistics midway through the second half, they should have been on top.
But the visitors’ ability to take advantage of their opportunities and some rock-solid defense proved the difference, delivering an emphatic win in the end, helped by two late tries.
The home side only trailed by a point after an entertaining first half, soured by the Blues losing Test back Rieko Ioane to a head clash just before the break.
Melbourne lost both centers David Feliuai (head) and Matt Proctor (head) at the same time, both leaving after 30 minutes.
While the Rebels repeatedly hammered the Blues’ tryline and came up empty-handed, the Aucklanders ran in four tries, with Darry’s double coming in the 74th and 77th minutes.
After three successive wins the Rebels have now lost two straight after crashing to the Crusaders last round.
They face the Reds in Brisbane next Friday night.
Blues 38 (TRIES: Tele’a 2, Sheck, Tuipulotu, Darry 2; CONS: Plummer 3) def Rebels 11 (TRIES: Louwrens; PENS: Gordon 2)
REBELS (1-15): Isaac Kailea, Jordan Uelese, Taniela Tupou, Angelo Smith, Josh Canham, Josh Kemeny, Vaiolini Ekuasi, Rob Leota (c), Ryan Louwrens, Carter Gordon, Darby Lancaster, David Feliuai, Matt Proctor, Lachie Anderson, Andrew Kellaway
RESERVATIONS: Ethan Dobbins, Matt Gibbon, Sam Talakai, Tuaina Taii Tualima, Maciu Nabolakasi, Jack Maunder, Jake Strachan, Nick Jooste
BLUES (1-15): Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Ricky Riccitelli, PJ Sheck, Patrick Tuipulotu (c), Laghlan McWhannell, Anton Segner, Dalton Papali’i, Hoskins Sotutu, Taufa Funaki, Harry Plummer, Caleb Clarke, AJ Lam, Rieko Ioane, Mark Tele’a , Cole Forbes
RESERVATIONS: Kurt Eklund, Angus Ta’avao, Marcel Renata, Sam Darry, Cam Suafoa, Sam Nock, Corey Evans, Bryce Heem
Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistant Referees: Matt Kellahan, James Palmer
