Super Rugby

Ioane brothers star as Blues batter Rebels

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Blues batter Melbourne Rebels 71-28 in a one-sided Super Rugby Pacific Trans-Tasman clash at Eden Park, Auckland.

The Blues waltzed to their 10th victory in a row this season, increasing the Auckland franchise’s recent record to 17 wins in 18 Super Rugby matches to stay top.

The Blues equalled their Super Rugby try-scoring record of 11 tries in a game to notch their second-highest score ever.

The Auckland-based team scored 74 against the Stormers back in 1998 (which featured Caleb Clarke’s dad, Eroni).

This is also the fifth time the Blues have scored more than 60 points at home.

Akira and Rieko Ioane starred with five tries between the two siblings as the records tumbled at the grand old ground.

Rieko claimed a hat-trick and assist, while Akira bagged a brace and assist for the blistering Blues, who ran riot in the City of Sails.

Rieko Ioane’s treble was the 25-year-old’s second versus the Rebels.

Ioane’s 45 Super Rugby tries put him two ahead of the late, great Joeli Vidiri (43 SR tries) on the Blues’ all-time try-scoring list.

Finlay Christie, Josh Tucker, Hoskins Sotutu, Mark Telea, Stephen Perofeta, and Clarke also scored as the Blues tore apart the feeble Rebels.

Perofeta, in for Beauden Barrett at first five-eighth, had a time from the tee. He landed eight conversions (21 pts) to go with his second-half try and two assists.

Another bonus-point win keeps Leon MacDonald’s slick side ahead of the chasing Brumbies and Crusaders.

Pone Fa’amausili, Josh Canham, Brad Wilkin, and Reece Hodge crossed for Melbourne.

Hodge scored and converted all four tries for 13 points for Kevin Foote’s beleaguered team.

MacDonald’s charges also take their winning run to eight on the trot as the Kiwis continue to dominate the Aussie opposition.

This tame Trans-Tasman contest was over before halftime as the Blues ran in seven first-half tries, five in the second quarter

The three-time Super Rugby champions notched 47 first-half points, the second-most in the tournament’s history.

The Melbourne Rebels caught the Blues off-guard with two quickfire scores to race into a surprise 14-0 lead after only six minutes.

The Blues, however, hit back with two scores of their own to level proceedings.

The scoring did not stop there. MacDonald’s men continued their assault as the Rebels fell off tackles at an alarming rate.

Five more tries saw the home team take a 33-point lead into the shed.

The tries continued to flow, with the hosts scoring four more in the second stanza.

The Blues, in fact, scored 66 unanswered points before the Rebels found a way over the line.

The Australians did not score after the sixth minute until the 74th-minute.

Foote’s mismatched outfit conceded 10 tries between their second and third five-pointers.

The home team twice took the lead to 50 or above, but two late Rebels’ tries kept the Victorian’s humiliation to the bare minimum.

The Melbourne Rebels start hot, but their joy is short-lived as the Blues turn on the style

Hodge converted Fa’amausili and Canham’s tries as the Rebels took a shock early two-goal lead.

The hosts fought back with Akira Ioane’s double to level the match after 15 minutes.

Christie, Tucker, Sotutu, younger Ioane, and Telea all joined the 26-year-old flanker on the scoresheet.

The hosts almost dropped a half-century before the break, but time ran out.

In form Perofeta slotted six of the seven conversions but missed his last attempt before the break.

The New Zealand outfit dropped another four scores to two.

Rieko Ioane scored twice more, while Perofeta and Clarke dotted down too.

Melbourne continued to fall apart in grizzly fashion. They conceded at will to make it 66-14 after the hour following Ioane’s hat-trick.

It took 13 minutes – the longest period in the game without any points – before the scorers were troubled again.

Perofeta put Ioane away for his second, before Bryce Heem put the flyhalf away five minutes later.

Rieko had another hat-trick as the Blues scored 19 points in 11 minutes.

Wilkin and hodge scored late, but the Kiwis romped to a 43-point victory thanks to Perofeta and Clarke.

Final Score: Blues 71 (47) Rebels 28 (14)

Scorers

Blues
Tries – A. Ioane (2), Christie, Tucker, Sotutu, R. Ioane (3), Telea, Perofeta, Clarke
Pen –
Con – Perofeta (8)
Drop –
Cards –

Rebels
Tries – Fa’amausili, Canham, Wilkin, Hodge
Pen –
Con – Hodge (4)
Drop –
Cards –

Match Officials
Referee: Graham Cooper
Assistant Ref 1: Ben O’Keeffe
Assistant Ref 2: Jono Bredin
TMO: Aaron Paterson

Teams

Blues: 15 Zarn Sullivan,14 Mark Telea, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Stephen Perofeta, 9 Finlay Christie, 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 7 Dalton Papalii (captain), 6 Akira Ioane, 5 Tom Robinson, 4 James Tucker, 3 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 2 Kurt Eklund, 1 Jordan Lay.

Replacements: 16 Soane Vikena, 17 Karl Tu’inukuafe, 18 Nepo Laulala, 19 Sam Darry, 20 Adrian Choat, 21 Sam Nock, 22 Bryce Heem, 23 AJ Lam.

Melbourne Rebels: 15 Reece Hodge, 14 Andrew Kellaway, 13 Lukas Ripley, 12 Stacey Ili, 11 George Worth, 10 Carter Gordon, 9 Joe Powell, 8 Rob Leota, 7 Richard Hardwick, 6 Brad Wilkin, 5 Josh Canham, 4 Matt Philip (captain), 3 Pone Fa’amausili, 2 James Hanson, 1 Matt Gibbon.

Replacements: 16 Efi Ma’afu, 17 Cameron Orr, 18 Cabous Eloff, 19 Daniel Maiava, 20 Tamati Ioane, 21 Moses Sorovi, 22 Nick Jooste, 23 Glen Vaihu.

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