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Blues put to the sword by the Sharks

March 31, 2018

Welcome to 1 NEWS NOW's live updates of tonight's Super Rugby clash between the Blues and the Sharks at Eden Park in Auckland.

Blues 40 - 63 Sharks

The Blues have been humiliated in front of their own fans at Eden Park. The first half will bring back memories of their woeful performance in Cape Town and the defence was embarrassing.

The Sharks should gain a whole lot of confidence from that. They were at times thrilling with the ball in hand and coupled with the boot of du Preez, they gave the Blues no chance. 

84 mins: The Sharks complete the humiliation with another try, this time a brilliant effort from Bosch. Hold on, the TMO is taking a look at it. Not that it matters at all. After all that, it will be awarded. du Preez completes a perfect night. That's fulltime. 

79 mins : Another consolation try for the Blues woth Moala crossing. 

77 mins: Another penalty goal to the Sharks. That's 36 points for du Preez, remarkable. 

74 mins: Reiko Ioane with a nice consolation try. Some lovely hands in the backline with Ioane there to finish it off. Gatland converts it. A score straight out of 1996.

71 mins: The Sharks add insult to injury! They've crossed but the TMO is looking at an earlier knock on. It's been awarded and then converted. The Blues, throwing caution to the wind, had a pass intercepted.

68 mins: Another penalty for the Sharks. Money on du Preez to kick it. Surprise surprise he does. 

64 mins: The Blues will have to do it now with only 14 men. Trainor took the man out as he tried to take the restart in the air. He had to go for 10. 

62 mins: Penalty to the Sharks right out in front. Pass was thrown into an offside Blues player. Reward for a nice chip kick that sat up perfectly. They kick the penalty. Three-score game now. 

59 mins: The Sharks have scored again! du Preez fnished it was an offload from his brother that started it all. Some breathtaking rugby there from the South Africans. Conversion is duly kicked as well. 

56 mins: The Sharks have hit back! Mtembu charges onto an offload and powers through a tackle to dot down. This game has come to life! du Preez knocks the conversion over. 

52 mins: Reiko Ioane knocks on to bring an end to a promising passage for the Blues. Perofeta has scored! The TMO is getting involved though, no it looks like it's being awarded. Conversion goes over. A charged down Collins kick fell in the lap of a Perofeta, who scooted over 50m to score. Remarkable try. 

50 mins: The Blues have scored! Tuipulotu with a remarkable 40m try, a simple missed tackle and then the big lock showed some serious wheels. The try is converted. Game on.

45 mins: Perofeta slots the conversion from out wide. 

44 mins: Akira Ioane scores! The big man gets his just rewards after starting the play with another rampaging run. The ball came out to the right before going back to Ioane on the left. 

43 mins: A high tackle from Sharks winger Nkosi is being looked at by the TMO. A yellow card most likely and that's exactly what happens. Sharks down to 14 for 10 minutes.

42 mins: The Blues get some territory thanks to a kick from the halfback.

40 mins: Perofeta puts one down to end the half. There's not much to be said for that performance from the Blues, pathetic probably sums it up. Big halftime coming up from coach Tana Umaga. 

38 mins: The Blues compound the error with a scrum penalty. du Preez kicks the penalty again. A genuine sharpshooter. 

37 mins: Not a couple of minutes to remember for Perofeta, a poor kick and then a knock on. 

34 mins: The Sharks have scored! Some flimsy defence allows du Preez to power through several tackles to dot down under the posts. Try is converted. 

32 mins: A disappointing kick from Perofeta, who gave away possession in Sharks' territory. Bosch rubs salt into the wound with a massive punt. 

30 mins: They turn down the three points to kick for the corner. Akira Ioane the freak show! The powerhouse looks to have scored in the corner! After palming off several defenders. It looks like he's gone into touch unfortunately but it doesn't take anything away from the raw power of Ioane. 

29 mins: The Blues put together a lovely passage of play. It ended with a cross-field kick to Trainor, who couldn't get the ball and put it down. The ref will come for a penalty. Some promising signs from the home team though. The should definitely look to get the ball in the hands of the Ioane brothers as much as possible. 

25 mins: Penalty to the Sharks within kicking distance. They'll take the shot again. Du Preez makes no mistake once again. 

22 mins: The Blues have scored a brilliant try! Collins crossed on the right but it was the Ioane brothers on the left who combined with Nanai that set it up. Perofeta converts. It might be the end of the night for Nanai though unfortunately.

18 mins: Collins finds touch some 10m from the Sharks line with a lovely punt. 

17 mins: Another knock on, this time from Moala at the kick off.

15 mins: The Blues concede another kickable penalty, this time for offside. Du Preeze kicks the penalty again.

13 mins:  Rieko Ioane knocks on in midfield. The Blues' start couldn't have been much worse.

11 mins: The Sharks make it count! An offload came back to skipper Botha who powered over. The try is converted too. 

10 mins: The Sharks show off the strength of their forward pack, winning a scrum after du Preez manhandeled his opposite number. 

8 mins: Bosch slices through for the Sharks before grubbering for his winger but the ball beats everyone into touch. 

6 mins: Botha gets over the ball to win the Sharks a penalty. Not a great early sign for the Blues. 

4 mins: The blues get an early penalty of their own after the restart, they show their intent by going for the lineout. 

3 mins: Kaino is penalised with the Sharks to take an early shot at goal through du Preez. He slots it to give the Sharks an early lead. 

1 mins: Perofeta to kick off for the Blues, he goes deep and the Sharks knock it on in the 22. Ioane shows off his skillset with a kick in behind but the Sharks ground it to send it back to the 22m for a restart.

Before kick-off there will be a minute of silence for former Blue Dylan Mika. 

Pre-match: It's only round six of the Super Rugby season, but there is already pressure on the Blues.

After enjoying the bye last weekend, the Blues will be looking to bounce back from an error-laden defeat to the Stormers in Cape Town last time out.

They will have to do that without the injured Sonny Bill Williams, with Reiko Ioane named at second five-eighth. Stephen Perofeta has also been named in the No.10 jersey with Bryn Gatland dropping to the bench.

Blues : 1.Pauliasi Manu, 2.James Parsons (captain), 3.Mike Tamoaieta, 4.Patrick Tuipulotu, 5.Josh Goodhue, 6.Jerome Kaino, 7.Murphy Taramai, 8.Akira Ioane; 9.Jonathan Ruru, 10.Stephen Perofeta, 11.Melani Nanai, 12.Rieko Ioane, 13.George Moala, 14.Jordan Trainor, 15.Michael Collins.

Substitutes: 16.Leni Apisai, 17.Ross Wright, 18.Sione Mafileo, 19.Jimmy Tupou, 20.Kara Pryor, 21.Sam Nock, 22.Bryn Gatland, 23.TJ Faiane

Sharks : 1.Beast Mtawarira, 2.Akker van der Merwe, 3.Thomas du Toit, 4.Ruan Botha (captain), 5.Stephen Lewies, 6.Philip van der Walt, 7.Jean-Luc du Preez, 8.Tera Mtembu, 9.Louis Schreuder, 10.Robert du Preez, 11.Lwazi Mvovo, 12.Andre Esterhuizen, 13.Lukhanyo Am, 14.Sbu Nkosi, 15.Curwin Bosch.

Substitutes: 16.Franco Marais, 17.Juan Schoeman, 18.John-Hubert Meyer, 19.Hyron Andrews, 20.Tyler Paul, 21.Cameron Wright, 22.Marius Louw, 23.Kobus van Wyk.

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