The Blues have won four of their last five Super Rugby games against the Chiefs (L1), including their last two.
The last time the Blues side won more in succession against the Chiefs, was a four-game stretch from 1996 to 1999 – their first four clashes in the competition.
- The Hamilton-based side has won nine of their last 10 Super Rugby games at home against the Auckland men (L1), including a 15-12 win when they last hosted them (Rd 5, 2021 Super Rugby Aotearoa).
- Clayton McMillan’s men were defeated 34-19 by the Crusaders in their last game at home in Super Rugby (26 March 2022), snapping a six-game home winning streak.
- The Blues have won 12 of their last 13 Super Rugby games (L1) including their last five.
- Leon MacDonald’s side hasn’t lost away from home since a 29-6 loss to the Crusaders in Round 9 of the 2021 Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign.
- The Blues have crossed the gain-line on 65 % of their total carries (384/589) this season, the highest rate of any team, and four percentage points more than any other side.
- The Blues have gained 120 metres from mauls in 2022, the most of any team in the competition, and 89m more than the Chiefs (31m).
- Only Fijian Drua (10) have made more offloads resulting in a break than the Chiefs (7) and Blues (7) in Super Rugby Pacific.
- The Chiefs have scored four tries starting possession from kick returns in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, more than any other team in the competition; the Blues (3) have scored the joint-second most of any side via this method.
Players to watch
- Pita Gus Sowakula has made 71 carries this season, the second-most by any forward (Harry Wilson – 103), and the third most by any player overall (Kalaveti Ravouvou – 72).
- Blues’ duo Stephen Perofeta and Finlay Christie have each provided four assists in 2022; only the Queensland Reds’ James O’Connor (5) has made more.
Match detail
We are waiting for the kick-off.
In the meantime, why not have a look at the match preview.
1.00: PEEEP! We are underway at FMG Stadium, Hamilton.
3.00: This is going to be an intriguing contest between two teams in similar stages of their progress under their coaches Leon MacDonald and Clayton McMillan.
5.00: Messy work at the back of the scrum by Hoskins Sotutu almost allows Sam Cane to run away and score, but the flanker knocked on.
7.00: Blues will take a shot at the goal.
8.00: PENALTY! Stephen Perofeta opens the scoring. 0-3
10.00: YELLOW CARD! Kaylum Boshier is off for a dangerous tip-tackle on Josh Goodhue. 0-3
13.00: Another penalty goes against the hosts; the Blues decide to take another scrum on their line.
14.00: Brilliant defending by the Chiefs to tackle Sotutu into touch.
16.00: TRY! Tom Robinson took Kurt Eklund’s inside pass and barges through a couple of defenders before reaching out and touching the ball on the line and under the posts. 0-8
17.00: CONVERSION! Perofeta adds the extras. 0-10
19.00: Sam Cane saves the day again, but for how long can the Waikato side keep the Auckland team from rolling over them?
23.00: The Chiefs keep giving away penalties (5-1) in poor areas, another attack comes to nothing as the Blues clear.
26.00: Barrett’s kick to the corner comes to nothing as the Chiefs clear the danger.
28.00: The breakdown battle has been ferocious, but the visitors are winning the small battles. Another penalty (7-1), this time Aiden Ross in front of the kicker, leads to Perofeta taking a shot.
29.00: PENALTY! Perofeta slots the goal. 0-13
31.00: Telea and Eklund win another penalty (8-1) at the ruck as the Chiefs’ players keep getting isolated.
33.00: The Chiefs are hanfing on in Hamilton, the Blues have all the possession, and probably should be up by much more.
35.00: McMillan’s men are under fire at the breakdown, but somehow, they win a rare penalty to set up an attcking lineout-drive.
36.00: YELLOW CARD! Chase Tiatia’s knock-on after Aiden Ross did not look after the ball at the ruck on the opposition’s try line. Brad Weber could not gather; however, Luke Romano’s cynical play knocked the ball out of Weber’s hands. 0-13
38.00: A powerful scrum leads to another penalty to the Chiefs; however, this time the Blues manage to hold up Pita Gus Sowakula for a goal-line dropout.
39.00: YELLOW CARD! Etene Nanai-Seturo’s strong run leads to Sam Nock not releasing on the ground, and the scrumhalf is off for 10 minutes. 0-13
41.00: Sotutu should have been off for a deliberate knockdown, even though the ref says he “made an attempt”. Chiefs go to the lineout again.
42.00: NO TRY! A well-worked blindside move between Brad Weber and Samisoni Taukei’aho saw the hooker dive over near the flag. But Ofa Tu’ungafasi got back to knock the ball out of the Taukei’aho’s hands before grounding. 0-13
The halftime score was Chiefs 0 Blues 13
41.00: PEEEP! We are back underway in New Zealand.
43.00: Pita Gus Sowakula wins another penalty to allow Gatland to set up an attack.
44.00: Superb defending by the Blues to keep out the Chiefs, once again.
46.00: NO TRY! Etene Nanai-Seturo’s try is chalked off because of obstruction by Sam Cane. 0-13
48.00: The Blues have a full quota of players back on the field, they did not concede any points in 20 minutes. The Chiefs had two tries chalked off for a knock-on and obstruction.
50.00: It’s all Blues at the minute.
53.00: TRY! Mark Telea combines a one-two with Rieko Ioane after Beauden Barrett started the counter-attack from the Blues’ 22. The ball is recycled to Barrett, who spots Robinson alone on the righthand touchline, and threads a crossfield kick to the flanker to score. 0-18
55.00: CONVERSION! Perofeta adds the two from the sideline. 0-20
57.00: A sustained attack goes nowhere for the hosts, but they do get a penalty for offsides at the ruck.
63.00: YELLOW CARD! Marcel Renata is off for 10. 0-20
64.00: NO TRY! Etene Nanai-Seturo has another try ruled out by the TMO.
67.00: MISS! Perofeta’s drop-kick rebounds off the righthand post. 0-20
70.00: All Blues, no Chiefs.
74.00: TRY! Another brilliant touch from Barrett puts AJ Lam away in the far corner. 0-25
76.00: MISS! The kick is wide. 0-25
79.00: A last effort by the hosts comes to nothing.
81.00: The game is over, the Chiefs, nilled.
FULL TIME
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The final score is Chiefs 0 (0) Blues 25 (13)
Scorers
Chiefs
Tries –
Pen –
Con –
Drop –
Cards – Boshier (Yellow, 10′)
Blues
Tries – Robinson (2), Lam
Pen – Perofeta (2)
Con – Perofeta (2)
Drop –
Cards – Romano (Yellow, 36′), Nock (Yellow, 39′), Renata (Yellow, 63′)
Match Officials
Referee: Paul Williams
Assistant Ref 1: Angus Mabey
Assistant Ref 2: Mike Winter
TMO: Richard Kelly
Teams
Chiefs: 15 Chase Tiatia, 14 Jonah Lowe, 13 Anton Lienert-Brown, 12 Alex Nankivell, 11 Etene Nanai-Seturo, 10 Bryn Gatland, 9 Brad Weber, 8 Pita Gus Sowakula, 7 Sam Cane, 6 Kaylum Boshier, 5 Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 4 Josh Lord, 3 Angus Ta’avao, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 1 Aidan Ross.
Replacements: 16 Bradley Slater, 17 Ollie Norris, 18 George Dyer, 19 Samipeni Finau, 20 Luke Jacobson, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Quinn Tupaea, 23 Rivez Reihana.
Blues: 15 Stephen Perofeta, 14 Mark Telea, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Bryce Heem, 11 Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Sam Nock, 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 7 Dalton Papalii (captain), 6 Tom Robinson, 5 Josh Goodhue, 4 Luke Romano, 3 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 2 Kurt Eklund, 1 Alex Hodgman.
Replacements: 16 Ricky Riccitelli, 17 Jordan Lay, 18 Marcel Renata, 19 James Tucker, 20 Adrian Choat, 21 Lisati Milo-Harris, 22 Tanielu Tele’a, 23 AJ Lam.
