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Blues snap losing streak against Chiefs, earn crucial bonus-point win in Auckland

May 18, 2019

Relive 1 NEWS NOW's live coverage of tonight's New Zealand Super Rugby derby match between the Blues and Chiefs at Eden Park in Auckland.

FULLTIME - BLUES 23 CHIEFS 8

Ma'a Nonu.
Blues v Chiefs, Super Rugby. Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand. Saturday 18 May 2019 © Copyright Photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.Photosport.nz

82 mins: BLUES 23 CHIEFS 8

TRY! The Blues execute a well-worked line-out drive and reserve lock Gerard Cowley-Tuioti powers his way over to score a crucial try for the home team. Harry Plummer misses his conversion attempt, but it doesn't matter because the Blues have earned a much needed bonus-point win over the Chiefs.

77 mins: BLUES 18 CHIEFS 8

PENALTY! The Blues make a statement at scrum time! The have the Chiefs back pedaling and referee Glen Jackson awards the Blues a penalty. The Blues forwards celebrate and give their front rower Ofa Tuungafasi pats on the back for his efforts.

75 mins: BLUES 18 CHIEFS 8

NO TRY! Chiefs reserve flanker Sam Cane makes a powerful run towards the Blues' goal-line from 5m out and he loses control of the ball. The Blues should have been awarded a penalty after replays show that there was a double movement from Cane as he attempted to score, instead the home team have a 5m scrum just outside of their own goal-line.  

71 mins: BLUES 18 CHIEFS 8

NO TRY! Pita Gus Sowakula shows great strength powering out of two tackles and he gets himself over the try-line. Referee Glen Jackson goes to his TMO for confirmation whether or not it is a try and replays show that Chiefs flanker Sowakula lost control of the ball as he attempted to ground it.

The Chiefs will retain the ball with the referee playing advantage prior to Sowakula going over the try-line.

65 mins: BLUES 18 CHIEFS 8

MISTAKE! Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi tries to recycle the ball quickly but he fumbles the ball at the base of the ruck on the Blues' 40m line. Ma'a Nonu gives the Chiefs reserve back a pat on the head after his mistake.

59 mins: BLUES 18 CHIEFS 8

TRY! Blues halfback Jonathan Ruru makes a charging 15m run and his team is now just 5m out from the Chiefs' goal line. All Blacks prop Ofa Tu'ungafasi gets his hands on the ball and he burrows his way over to score for the Blues. A controversial moment in the match as replays show that the All Blacks front rower may have lost control of the ball as he grounded it over the try-line.

Harry Plummer is off target with his conversion attempt. 

55 mins: BLUES 13 CHIEFS 8

The Chiefs switch out their front row props and Sam Cane makes his way back on the field and replaces Tyler Ardron.

49 mins: BLUES 13 CHIEFS 8

THREE! The Chiefs are penalised for an offside play and Blues' first-five Harry Plummer bangs over his penalty kick from over 30m out and the Blues now lead by five-points.

44 mins: BLUES 10 CHIEFS 8

MISS! Blues blindisde flanker Dalton Papali'i is penalised for coming in from the side and killing the Chiefs' rolling maul around the his own 40m line. Marty McKenzie has a chance to give his side the lead but his penalty kick at goal bounces off the uprights. 

40 mins: BLUES 10 CHIEFS 8

And we are back underway! Marty McKenzie kicks off short towards the Blues and the home team win possession of the ball.

HALFTIME - BLUES 10 CHIEFS 8

The Blues have been poor at set piece with the scoring points off the home team's mistakes. It seem panic has creeped in during crucial try scoring opportunities for the Blues.

Leon MacDonald's Blues have butchered several chances at scoring tries, fumbling the ball at line-out time and dropping the ball cold inside the Chiefs' red zone. Sam Cane had small cameo in the first spell after Mitchell Karpik was sent to the sidelines for an HIA.

Cane didn't miss a step taking on the Blues' line with a charging run with his first touch of the ball and made some good tackles on defence. Karpik passed his head assessment returning to the field in the 38th minute. 

38 mins: BLUES 10 CHIEFS 8

TRY! Melani Nanai answers for the Blues and muscles his way over to score down the right hand corner! Some clever quick hands from the Blues backs to give their fullback Nanai a chance to dot down in the corner.

Harry Plummer is offline with his conversion attempt at goal from the sideline with his attempt hitting the right goal post.

35 mins: BLUES 5 CHIEFS 8

THREE! The Chiefs retake the lead with Marty McKenzie banging over his penalty kick at goal. The Chiefs can thank their hooker Nathan Harris who earned his side the penalty, getting his hands on the ball and forcing the referee to blow the whistle and award his side a penalty.

32 mins: BLUES 5 CHIEFS 5

TRY! Blues right winger Caleb Clarke can't keep himself out of the action! The Chiefs spill the ball deep inside their own half and Clarke dives on the loose ball.

The Blues have numbers out to the right and Akira Ioane takes looks to take on the line but passes the ball to his first-five Harry Plummer.

Plummer fakes to pass the ball to Rieko Ioane and he goes himself and manages to stay in field and score the Blues' first try.

He is unable to add the extras from out wide.

28 mins: BLUES 0 CHIEFS 5

Sean Wainui of the Chiefs is tackled by TJ Faiane of the Blues. Super Rugby match, Blues v Chiefs at Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand. 2 March 2018 © Copyright Photo: Anthony Au-Yeung / www.photosport.nz

NO TRY! Another mistake by the Blues inside the Chiefs' red zone and Anton Lienert-Brown is away. He offloads the ball to his winger Shaun Stevenson around halfway and Blues winger Caleb Clarke comes out of nowhere and makes a try-saving tackle.

The Blues winger also earns his side a crucial turnover and Ma'a Nonu boots the ball into touch. A lucky escape for the home team!

24 mins: BLUES 0 CHIEFS 5

Mitchell Karpik is replaced by All Blacks flanker Sam Cane! Karpik was involved in a nasty collision with Ma'a Nonu and has been forced to off the field for a head injury assessment. 

17 mins: BLUES 0 CHIEFS 5

TRY! Chiefs' prop Angus Ta'avao breaks out of a tackle around halfway and he passes the ball to his winger Etene Nanai-Seturo. The Chiefs left winger puts in a chip kick and it looks like the Blues have it covered. Blues winger Rieko Ioane regathers the ball and he tries to offload the ball to Melani Nanai.

It proves to be a costly move as Mitchell Karpik steals the ball and dives over to score down the left hand corner for the first try of the match.

Marty McKenzie is offline with his conversion attempt from the sideline. 

14 mins: BLUES 0 CHIEFS 0

FUMBLE! The Blues were in excellent attacking territory but they butcher it at line-out time 5m out from the Chiefs' goal-line. Another opportunity goes begging for the home team.

13 mins: BLUES 0 CHIEFS 0

The Blues march their way up field after some nice runs and offloading by Rieko Ioane, Dalton Papali'i and TJ Faiane. The Blues find their way inside the Chiefs' red zone. And the Chiefs are penalised for a breakdown infringement and the Blues kick for the side-line as they look to score their first try of the match. 

10 mins: BLUES 0 CHIEFS 0

NO TRY! The Chiefs switch their point of attack from right to the left side at scrum time. Chiefs first-five Marty McKenzie tries to throw a miracle long ball to his winger Etene Nanai-Seturo and the referee rules a forward pass.

6 mins: BLUES 0 CHIEFS 0

SCRUM! Anton Lienert-Brown makes a big tackle on Ma'a Nonu and the former All Blacks midfielder fumbles the ball. Marty Banks gets his boot to the ball and it is a foot race. Chiefs halfback Brad Weber leads the race and he toes the ball ahead. Blues flyer Rieko Ioane is forced to play at the ball and he is tackled inside his own in-goal.

The Chiefs now have a scrum 5m out of the Blues' goal-line.

4 mins: BLUES 0 CHIEFS 0

PENALTY! It has been all the Blues in the opening minutes. The Chiefs are penalised 5m out from their own goal-line after the referee ruled they were offside.

Patrick Tuipulotu turns down a kickable shot at goal and chooses to have a scrum.

BLUES 0 CHIEFS 0

KICK-OFF! And we are underway with the Blues kicking off deep towards the Chiefs.

PRE-MATCH:

The Blues head into tonight's match on a four-game losing streak. Last time the Blues faced the Chiefs they went down 33-29 in Hamilton last month.

Johnathan Ruru replaces Sam Nock at halfback for the Blues, with Harry Plummer given the nod to start in the 10 jersey for the Auckland franchise.

Patrick Tuipulotu and Blake Gibson have been given starts in the forwards for the Blues and will co-captain the home team.

All Blacks flanker Sam Cane has been named on the bench for the Chiefs, set to play his first rugby match since his neck fracture last October against the Springboks.

History is on the Chiefs side with the visitors winning their last 14 games against the Blues.

TEAMS:

Blues: 1 Alex Hodgman, 2 James Parsons, 3 Ofa Tuungafasi, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu (co-captain), 5 Scott Scrafton, 6 Dalton Papalii, 7 Blake Gibson (co-captain), 8 Akira Ioane, 9 Jonathan Ruru, 10 Harry Plummer, 11 Rieko Ioane, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 13 TJ Faiane, 14 Caleb Clarke, 15 Melani Nanai.

Reserves: 16 Matt Moulds, 17 Lua Li, 18 Karl Tu'inukuafe, 19 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 20 Tom Robinson, 21 Augustine Pulu, 22 Otere Black, 23 Matt Duffie.

Chiefs: 1 Atu Moli, 2 Nathan Harris, 3 Angus Ta'avao, 4 Jesse Parete, 5 Mitchell Brown, 6 Pita Gus Sowakula, 7 Mitchell Karpik, 8 Tyler Ardron, 9 Brad Weber (captain), 10 Marty McKenzie, 11 Etene Nanai-Seturo, 12 Anton Lienert-Brown, 13 Tumua Manu, 14 Sean Wainui, 15 Solomon Alaimalo.

Reserves: 16 Liam Polwart, 17 Aidan Ross, 18 Nepo Laulala, 19 Mitchell Jacobson, 20 Sam Cane, 21 Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 22 Shaun Stevenson, 23 Alex Nankivell.

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