The Blues have played the Hurricanes 33 times in Super Rugby since 1996, the Blues have won 15 matches, lost 17 times and drawn once.
The Blues 15 wins give them a record of winning 46% of their matches against the Hurricanes regardless of venue.
- Leon MacDonald’s side picked up a 24-15 win in their last Super Rugby meeting with the Hurricanes, snapping a nine-game losing streak against them in the process.
- The Canes have won on each of their last five visits against the Blues in Super Rugby, more times than they had won in all 12 such meetings prior (W4).
- The Blues have won their last four Super Rugby games on the bounce; the last time they won more in succession was a seven-game stretch in the 2011 campaign which was bookended with wins against the Hurricanes.
- The Hurricanes have finished each of their last 10 Super Rugby games without losing a single scrum on their feed, winning a total of 84 scrums in that stretch.
- Beauden Barrett has scored three tries and made three try assists across his last four Super Rugby games between the Blues and Hurricanes; however, this will be the first time he’s represented the Auckland side against his former club.
Match detail
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In the meantime, why not have a look at the match preview.
LATE CHANGE: Vaea Fifita is ruled out. Devan Flanders comes onto the bench and will wear the No 20 jersey.
Beauden Barrett (125 caps) makes his debut for the Blues this afternoon, but Dan Carter is not in the matchday 23.
Ardie Savea returns for the Hurricanes – his first appearance since injuring his knee in last year’s Rugby World Cup semi-final defeat to England.
The players walk out to the Game of Thrones opening theme, while a military jet flies overhead.
The two teams and this magnificent sold-out crowd clap and cheer New Zealand’s essential workers.
1.00: PEEEEP! Hurricanes kick-off. We are underway at Eden Park, Auckland. Conditions are soft underfoot, but dry.
2.00: The Blues win the first penalty. Beauden Barrett clears to halfway.
5.00: Wes Goosen knocks on near the try-line after Tom Robinson put the winger under pressure following Vince Aso’s grubber. Scrum to the Blues.
6.00: Otere Black can only clear to his 22.
8.00: The Hurricanes win a penalty (in front of the posts) after TJ Faiane falls four at the breakdown.
9.00: PENALTY! Jackson Garden-Bachop opens the scoring for the visitors. 0-3
11.00: The Canes are on the attack in the centre of the park, near the Blues 22. However, Black gathers a wayward kick and returns the ball with interest, to the delight of the home crowd.
12.00: TRY! Caleb Clarke brushes of the tackles, darts in-field and dots down under the posts following Rieko Ioane’s midfield break. Aso shot out of the line, freeing up Ioane, who carried to the 22 before sending Clarke away. 5-3
13.00: CONVERSION! Black adds the easy extras. 7-3
15.00: TRY! WOW! Dane Coles puts on the afterburners, down the sideline, beating the Blues cover defenders before finishing like a winger in the corner. Sensational try by the hooker. Aso combined with Goosen, their slick handling took out all the Blues defenders to set-up the score. 7-8
16.00: MISS! The conversion is wide. 7-8
18.00: Referee Mike Fraser is policing the breakdown with no argument. The Blues win a penalty on the centre circle and kick to the 22.
19.00: TRY! Faiane finishes off a well-worked attack. Quick ball for the hosts was shifted to the left. Black combined with Barrett, who joined the line before playing an inside pass to the supporting Mark Telea. The winger goes close before popping to Faiane, who stretches out to score. WOW! 12-8
20.00: CONVERSION! The kick is good. 14-8
23.00: Hurricanes are on the attack inside the Blues 22.
25.00: NO TRY! Ben Lam dots down in the corner, but the try is chalked off for a forward pass; however, after several penalties, the ref warns the Blues. The Canes take a scrum, five metres out. Reset.
26.00: TRY! Denied a moment ago, Lam gets his try. Ngani Laumape carried from midfield, the ball recycled to Chase Tiatia, combining with Garden-Bachop, who sends the winger away with a long, floated pass. 14-13
27.00: MISS! Oh, dear! Another missed conversion. 14-13
30.00: A seventh penalty goes against the Blues for a side entry.
33.00: Blues have some possession, but cannot finish off a Talea attack. The winger bounces Tiatia – who will have nightmares about that – but can’t get through the cover defenders.
35.00: Like yesterday, there have not been many scrums (3), although, there have been a few resets.
36.00: Fraser Armstrong slips, and is pinged for collapsing. Barrett kicks to the middle of the Canes’ 22.
37.00: Barrett enters the ruck from the side, conceding the penalty. Aso’s defence kept the Blues at bay.
39.00: The Blues have given away 10 penalties to four, and are struggling at the breakdown.
41.00: A couple of knock-ons end the first stanza at Eden Park.
The halftime score was Blues 14 Hurricanes 13
41.00: PEEEEP! Barrett gets us back underway in the City of Sails.
43.00: The Blues have started well, but some poor handling gives the Hurricanes a let-off.
47.00: Blues keep up the pressure, but need some points.
50.00: TRY! Faiane’s grubber, in behind the Hurricanes backline, sits up for Dalton Papalii, who finds himself alone on the wing to score. 19-13
51.00: CONVERSION! Black slots the wide kick. 21-13
53.00: Another lineout steal by the Blues, who won a penalty for offsides.
55.00: PENALTY! Black is on fire, slotting his fourth kick. 24-13
58.00: Another penalty goes the way of the home team. Black calls for the tee.
59.00: PENALTY! Black extends to a two-goal lead. 27-13
60.00: Jackson Garden-Bachop is off, but there is no cover for the Canes at first receiver, so TJ Perenara moves into the pocket.
63.00: Jason Holland’s men need to keep some possession because time is running out. The visitor’s handling has not been great since the break, and their set-piece is creaking.
65.00: MISS! Barrett misses a long-range drop-kick. Perenara gets a talking to for multiple infringements. The Hurricanes have conceded eight penalties to two since the interval, levelling the count at 12-all. 27-13
66.00: PENALTY! Black makes it six from six. The game is getting away from the Hurricanes, who need three scores. 30-13
68.00: The Canes have a penalty, kick to the corner and look for a try.
70.00: Oh, dear! Another handling error and lost lineout give away a good opportunity.
75.00: The handling errors are mounting and the penalties climbing at an alarming rate. This game is over!
78.00: TRY! Jamie Booth scores under the posts. One more try for a bonus-point.
78.00: CONVERSION! TJ Perenara adds quick conversion. 30-20
80.00: The Blues are on the Canes’ line; they want the fourth try.
82.00: MacDonald’s men can’t get another try, but they go away with the points.
FULL TIME
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The final score is minutes is Blues 30 (14) Hurricanes 20 (13)
Scorers
Blues
Tries – Clarke, Faiane, Papalii
Pen – Black (3)
Con – Black (3)
Drop –
Cards –
Hurricanes
Tries – Coles, Lam, Booth
Pen – Garden-Bachop
Con – Perenara
Drop –
Cards –
Match Officials
Referee: Mike Fraser
Assistant Ref 1: Ben O’Keeffe
Assistant Ref 2: James Doleman
TMO: Brendon Pickerill
Teams
Blues
15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Mark Telea, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 TJ Faiane, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Otere Black, 9 Sam Nock, 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 7 Blake Gibson, 6 Tom Robinson, 5 Josh Goodhue, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu (captain), 3 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 2 James Parsons, 1 Alex Hodgman
Replacements: 16 Kurt Eklund, 17 Ezekiel Lindenmuth, 18 Marcel Renata, 19 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 20 Dalton Papalii, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Harry Plummer, 23 Matt Duffie
Hurricanes
15 Chase Tiatia, 14 Wes Goosen, 13 Vince Aso, 12 Ngani Laumape, 11 Ben Lam, 10 Jackson Garden-Bachop, 9 TJ Perenara (co-captain), 8 Gareth Evans, 7 Du’Plessis Kirifi, 6 Reed Prinsep, 5 Scott Scrafton, 4 James Blackwell, 3 Tyrel Lomax, 2 Dane Coles (co-captain), 1 Fraser Armstrong
Replacements: 16 Asafo Aumua, 17 Tevita Mafileo, 18 Alex Fidow, 19 Isaia Walker-Leawere, 20 Devan Flanders, 21 Ardie Savea, 22 Jamie Booth, 23 Billy Proctor
