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Resilient Blues grind out tough victory over Waratahs, secure fourth straight Super Rugby win

April 6, 2019

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

Ma'a Nonu scores a try for the Blues. Blues v Waratahs, Super Rugby. Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand. Saturday 6 April 2019 © Copyright Photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.Photosport.nz

FULLTIME - BLUES 32 WARATAHS 29

The Blues grind out a tough win over the Waratahs. In the final two minutes of the match they choose to keep the ball in the forwards. They rumble it up with several pick and go runs and the Waratahs are penalised for an infringement in the ruck. A bit and push and shove here from both teams and Akira Ioane turns to the crowd and celebrates his side's fourth straight win.

Otere Black has the last say as he taps the ball with his foot around halfway before kicking it out.

75 mins: BLUES 32 WARATAHS 29

TRY! Reserve halfback Jack Gordon spots acres of space down the right edge and he dives over to score a crucial try to keep the Waratahs in the match. 

Bernard Foley misses his first kick of the night from the side-line.

67 mins: BLUES 32 WARATAHS 24

Akira Ioane looks to take on the defence during the Super Rugby match, Waratahs  v Blues, Brookvale Oval, Sydney, Australia, 5th May 2018. Copyright photo: David Neilson / www.photosport.nz

THREE! The Blues are awarded a penalty and Otere Black steps up and extends his side's lead with a successful kick at goal.

65 mins: BLUES 29 WARATAHS 24

NO TRY! Akira Ioane has been denied a try after the ref rules the Blues No.8 dropped the ball before the try-line. He made an excellent run to the try-line but just coouldn't hold onto the ball.

60 mins: BLUES 29 WARATAHS 21

TRY! Ma'a Nonu has been on fire and he goes into score his first try of 2019 for the Blues. The Waratahs butcher a set piece play at line-out time and Rieko Ioane pounces on the loose ball.

Ioane steps off his left foot before offloading the ball to Nonu. He shows some good speed and goes all the way to score under the posts.

Otere Black converts the try with ease in front of the goal posts.

55 mins: BLUES 22 WARATAHS 21

TRY! Israel Folau sucks in two defenders and Alex Newsome goes into score down the right edge. After a fumble in the middle of the park, the Waratahs strike with Bernard Foley linking up with Folau down the right side.

Bernard Foley nails his conversion attempt from the side and the Waratahs now trail by one-point.

47 mins: BLUES 22 WARATAHS 14

TRY! TJ Faiane goes over down the right edge for the Blues' third try of the match. Otere Black throws a clever inside ball to a charging TJ Faiane and he has enough power to get over the try-line with three defenders hanging onto him.

Otere Black just misses his conversion attempt from the side-line.

40 mins: BLUES 17 WARATAHS 14

And we are back underway! Bernard Foley kick deep towards the Blues.

HALFTIME - BLUES 17 WARATAHS 14

A tight one here at Eden Park. It was all the Blues in the first 20 miniutes, but the momentum changed in the last 20 with the Waratahs clawing their way back into the match with two tries.  

38 mins: BLUES 17 WARATAHS 14

TRY!  The Waratahs decision not to kick at goal pays off! They power their way over the try-line after a well worked line-out maul and it is Will Miller who comes up with the ball. They are back in this one.

Bernard Foley nails his conversion attempt from the side-line and they now trail the Blues by three-points. A big milestone for Foley as he enters the 1000-points club after his successful conversion.

37 mins: BLUES 17 WARATAHS 7

PENALTY! Akira Ioane is penalised for going into the ruck off his feet! It has been all the Waratahs in the last 10 minutes.

31 mins: BLUES 17 WARATAHS 7

TURNOVER! The Waratahs looked like they were going to go over to score off a line-out maul. But the Blues scramble and stop the ball from coming out on the Waratahs' side. The Blues earn themselves a scrum 5m out from their own goal-line.

24 mins: BLUES 17 WARATAHS 7

TRY! The Waratahs' gamble pays off as Bernard Foley puts in a pin-point cross field kick for a high flying Israel Folau who gets to the ball first and scores the visitors' first try of the match.

Bernard Foley converts Israel Folau's kick with ease.

23 mins: BLUES 17 WARATAHS 0

PENALTY! The Blues are penalised for playing the ball on the ground and the Waratahs choose to kick to the side-line.

17 mins: BLUES 17 WARATAHS 0

TRY! Caleb Clarke goes into score under the goal posts! After several pick and go carries by the Blues forwards, they give it to the backs. Otere Blacks passes the ball to Ma'a Nonu with the former All Blacks midfielder making the right choice to hit the backdoor pass for a rampaging Clarke. There is no one in front of him and he dives over to score a great well-worked Blues try.

Otere Black makes no mistake with his conversion attempt in front of the goal posts.

12 mins: BLUES 10 WARATAHS 0

TURNOVER! An excellent defensive play by Akira Ioane, Dalton Papali'i and Tom Robinson. They hold a Waratahs player long enough to get a scrum outside of their own 22 after the maul was going nowhere.

9 mins: BLUES 10 WARATAHS 0

TRY! Patrick Tuipulotu makes a break up the middle of the park and gets a sneaky offload away to Sione Mafileo. The Blues prop is tackled inside the Waratahs' 22. The Blues spread it wide to the left and Ma'a Nonu delivers a perfect skip pass for blindside flanker Tom Robinson to score down the left flank.

Otere Black nails his conversion attempt from the sideline.

7 mins: BLUES 3 WARATAHS 0

INJURY! A big blow for the Blues, looks like Blake Gibson's night is over. Appears he has done his right knee after diving after a loose ball on the ground. Dalton Papali'i enters the game to replace the Blues co-captain.

3 mins: BLUES 3 WARATAHS 0

THREE! Otere Black steps up and lands a fairly straight forward penalty kick at goal from in front of the posts.

BLUES 0 WARATAHS 0

KICK-OFF! And we are underway as Otere Black kicks short and high towards the Waratahs.

PRE-MATCH:

The Blues are in hot form, winning their last three fixtures against the Highlanders, Sunwolves and Stormers. The Waratahs on the other hand are coming off a shock 29-31 loss to the Sunwolves last weekend in Newcastle.

History is on the Blues side, they have won their last three matches against the Waratahs.

The Blues have only one change to their starting side, with young flyer Tanielu Tele'a replaced by Caleb Clarke on the right wing. Tele'a has been suspended for four matches after his dangerous tackle and red card against the Stormers last week.

Rieko Ioane scores an early try for the Blues.
Blues v Highlanders, Super Rugby. Eden Park, Auckland, New Zealand. Friday 22 March © Copyright Photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.Photosport.nz

TEAMS:

Blues:  1 Alex Hodgman, 2 James Parsons, 3 Sione Mafileo, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu (co-captain), 5 Josh Goodhue, 6 Tom Robinson, 7 Blake Gibson (co-captain), 8 Akira Ioane, 9 Jonathan Ruru, 10 Otere Black, 11 Rieko Ioane, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 13 TJ Faiane, 14 Caleb Clarke, 15 Melani Nanai.

Reserves: 16 Matt Moulds, 17 Marcel Renata, 18 Ofa Tuungafasi, 19 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 20 Dalton Papalii, 21 Sam Nock, 22 Harry Plummer, 23 Michael Collins.

Waratahs: 1 Harry Johnson-Holmes, 2 Damien Fitzpatrick, 3 Sekope Kepu, 4 Ned Hannigan, 5 Rob Simmons, 6 Jack Dempsey, 7 Will Miller, 8 Michael Wells, 9 Nick Phipps, 10 Bernard Foley, 11 Alex Newsome, 12 Karmichael Hunt, 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 Cam Clark, 15 Israel Folau.

Reserves: 16 Andrew Tuala, 17 Rory O'Connor, 18 Chris Talakai, 19 Tom Staniforth, 20 Lachlan Swinton, 21 Jack Gordon, 22 Kurtley Beale, 23 Lalakai Foketi.

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