The Blues have ended their Sydney hoodoo with a 40-33 win at Allianz Stadium against the NSW Waratahs. The Blues flew out of the blocks, leading 26-0 at halftime before the Waratahs managed to make the score a little bit more respectable before the final siren.
First half
The Blues had most of the early running as the rain came down, opening their attack with 14 phases before Angus Gardner pulled back an advantage, allowing Piers Francis to knock one over from right in front. The 2nd penalty shot came from a harsh call on Tahs hooker Tolu Latu allowing Francis to add another 3 points to the score. Francis made it 3 from 3 after 20 minutes, the Blues mauling inside the Tahs 22 before Dean Mumm gave away another penalty right in front. The Waratahs hadn’t seen any of the ball in the opposition half and the lack of ball was compounded as the Blues found the try line for the first time.
The Tahs knocking the kick-off backwards but a Jake Gordon slip allowed Blues lock Cowley-Tuioti to pounce on the loose ball before handing off to Rieko Ioane who beat a defender then outpaced the defence while Francis added the extras stretching the lead to 16-0. The Blues spent much of the half with the ball in their hands and another penalty, this time to Hooper again allowed Francis an easy shot and another 3 points. The Blues lost high profile recruit Sonny Bill Williams to a head knock just before half time but it didn’t stop them from finding the try line again before half time. A quick tap from Augustine Pulu caught the Tahs off guard and a sequence of passes and offloads allowed Scott Scrafton to dot the ball down under the posts. A horror half from the Waratahs.
HALF TIME: Waratahs 0-26 Blues
Second half
The Waratahs come out for the 2nd half a different team, taking a minute to find the try line. Bernard Foley showing some swift footwork before offloading to Israel Folau who proceeded to carry a Blues defender across the line. The Waratahs started to pile on the pressure putting together multiple attacking series but couldn’t find a way through the Blues try line defence. An unnecessary penalty from Piers Francis allowed the Waratahs field position and a 5m lineout, the defence again standing resolute but a deft pass from Will Skelton put Tolu Latu close to the try line with his support pushing him over the chalk.
The momentum was well and truly with the Aussie team but the Blues found themselves over the try line once again. A huge Hooper tackle was followed up by a bonehead move from the Tahs reserve hooker resulting a penalty advantage, which Reiko Iaone took full advantage of, speeding through the Tahs defensive line before pushing through 2 defenders to find the line, Francis added the extras to stretch the lead back out to 21 points. A Hooper mistake allowed the other Ioane brother to produce a carbon copy of his brothers try. Augustine Pulu showing off his skills flicking the ball up to himself before handing off to Akira who outpaced Folau and the defence to put the game well and truly beyond the Tahs.
The Blues spent much of the last 15 minutes in cruise control, allowing 3 tries to the Waratahs. The first coming from a break by Hugh Roach followed by Foley finding a gap to dot the ball under the posts. The second through Wallabies fullback Israel Folau after 7 phases and a grubber kick in behind the Blues defence by Hegarty, which sat up perfectly for Folau. Will Skelton thought he had scored, only for the TMO to spot the ball leaving his hand, but a penalty advantage allowed Paddy Ryan to find the line and secure a losing bonus point for the home side. A flattering scoreline for the Waratahs, but a relatively comfortable win for the visiting Blues.
FINAL SCORE: Waratahs 33-40 Blues
[one_third last=”no”]
The Game Changer
While it’s hard to put a finger on a single moment of the match where the tide shifted in anyone’s favour, it’s safe to take aim at the Waratahs discipline in the first half, which gave the Blues 12 points alongside the 2 tries allowed the Blues to have a comfortable lead at half time and ultimately decided the match.[/one_third]
[one_third last=”no”]
The G&GR MOTM
Not one Waratahs player probably deserves mention here, while I can commend the performances of Blues scrumhalf Augustine Pulu and also Flanker Akira Ioane, it’s the other Iaone who gets my Man of the Match award. Reiko ran for 170m and managed 10 tackle busts on his way to 2 tries in a commanding performance.[/one_third]
[one_third last=”yes”]
Wallaby Watch
Will Skelton impressed off the bench, while Folau managed a double which flattered his output. While the majority of other performances were fairly average, Bernard Foley was perhaps the Waratahs best on the night.[/one_third]
Score & Scorers
[one_half last=”no”]
NSW Waratahs – 33
Tries: Folau 2, Latu, Foley, Ryan
Cons: Foley 2[/one_half]
[one_half last=”yes”]Blues – 40
Tries: R. Ioane 2, Scrafton, A Ioane,
Cons: Francis 2
Pens: Francis 4 [/one_half]
