Relive 1 NEWS NOW's live updates of the Blues Super Rugby win against the Reds at Eden Park in Auckland.
80min: Blues 39 - 16 Reds
Icing on the cake, a try to the Blues for Caleb Clarke.
Jerome Kaino takes the conversion on his final game at Eden Park, it's a shocker and flies low and wide!
77min: Blues 34 - 16 Reds
Another penalty to the Blues sees them extend the lead once again.
Reds' Jono Lance drops the ball cold on halfway and that sums up their night really.
73min: Blues 31 - 16 Reds
TRY! The numbers tell and Alex Mafi crashes over from close range for the Reds.
Conversion missed. The score is slightly more respectable, but time is running out.
67min: Blues 31 - 11 Reds
YELLOW CARD! Now Sione Mafileo has been sent to the bin for a scrum infringement!
Blues down to 13. Reds hot on attack.
62min: Blues 31 - 11 Reds
TRY! Duncan Paia'aua crosses for the Reds to give them a glimmer of hope, conversion missed.
In amongst that action the Blues have a man sent to the bin for ten for repeated infringements, now or never for the Reds then.
59min: Blues 31 - 6 Reds
The Reds have won just one of their last nine games.
Looking like extending that sorry record tonight at a cold and largely empty Eden Park.
55min: Blues 31 - 6 Reds
TRY! Perofeta scoots under a tackle to score following a scrum from the penalty.
He converts to blow out the lead even further.
53min: Blues 24 - 6 Reds
Penalty to the Blues after a dangerous tackle from the Reds, swinging arm.
That looked worse than the earlier yellow card infringements but none given.
46min: Blues 24 - 6 Reds
A penalty for offside sees Perofeta bang one over to extend the Blues' lead. Tough to see the Reds coming back tonight.
41min: Blues 21 - 6 Reds
Back underway and there are no changes to either team at half time.
HALF TIME: Blues 21 - 6 Reds
That's how it finishes up at half time, the Reds had a late surge but couldn't cross the try line.
36min: Blues 21 - 6 Reds
Reds back to 15 men finally, although they're still pinned in their half.
Damage already done by the Blues during those yellow cards.
31min: Blues 21 - 6 Reds
TRY! This is getting ugly for the Reds now... Matt Moulds the latest to score as the Blues easily carve up the Reds again.
Perofeta misses another conversion.
29min: Blues 16 - 6 Reds
TRY! Rieko Ioane slices through the depleted Reds side to dot down.
Conversion missed, but Blues easily on top with the extra numbers.
25min: Blues 11 - 6 Reds
ANOTHER YELLOW CARD! Reds in real trouble now Taniela Tupou sent to the bin for a no arms tackle.
Blues take the easy three to extend the lead. Reds down to 13 players.
23min: Blues 8 - 6 Reds
YELLOW CARD! The Reds Jordan Petaia sent to the bin for ten minutes for a lifting tackle.
Reds will be under pressure now.
20min: Blues 8 - 6 Reds
TRY! After some sustained pressure from the Blues they spin it wide to Melani Nanai who stands up his man and crashes over to score.
Conversion missed. That try might spark the game into life.
15min: Blues 3 - 6 Reds
Another scrum penalty against the Blues sees the Reds take an easy three points to pull away again.
13min: Blues 3 - 3 Reds
Both sides struggling to hold on to the pill tonight, it's cold out there so some dew around.
11min: Blues 3 - 3 Reds
Penalty against the Reds for holding on to the ball sees the Blues square it up.
Scrappy game so far, neither side have had any real attacking opportunities.
6min: Blues 0 - 3 Reds
Break in play as Reds captain Scott Higginbotham goes down after a shot from Kaino in the ruck. He's ok to continue though.
Scrappy lineout from the Blues sees the ball turned over to the Reds.
2min: Blues 0 - 3 Reds
And a penalty from the scrum gives the Reds an early three point lead.
1min: Blues 0 - 0 Reds
Not the best start for Jerome Kaino, he drops the ball from the kick-off and the Reds have a scrum deep in Blues territory.
0min: Blues 0 - 0 Reds
Kick off! Underway at Eden Park.
WEATHER:
Fine day in the City of Sails with little to no chance of rain this evening either. Going to be nippy as temperatures look set to drop to 3 degrees. Light southerly breeze around.
MATCH PREVIEW:
It may be a game between two of the lowest ranked Super Rugby teams, but tonight's contest still has plenty of feeling behind it.
For the Blues, it's their final home game of the season which has some significance.
For one, it's their last chance to earn a win at what was once a fortress, but this season they have lost the last seven contests in Auckland.
But more importantly, it will be club legend Jerome Kaino's final game there having, coincidently, made his Super Rugby debut against the Reds in 2004.
The Blues have been forced to make adjustments yet again to their backline, with Sonny Bill Williams sidelined with a shoulder injury for the game.
That moves Rieko Ioane to the midfield alongside Michael Collins, while the back three shapes up with U20s star Caleb Clark and Melani Nanai on the wings and Matt Duffie in jersey No.15.
Augustine Pulu has been bracketed with Sam Nock with the captain needing to overcome a fitness test to play tonight - we'll have more on that when it comes to hand.
For the Reds - though the Australian drought in New Zealand is over, their personal losing streak on Kiwi soil remains, having lost 11 successive games since their last triumph in 2013.
Brad Thorn is putting his best team forward to end that streak - naming Wallabies Brandon Paenga-Amosa, Taniela Tupou, Lukhan Tui and Samu Kerevi in the starting XV and Caleb Timu on the bench.
TEAMS
Blues: 15 Matt Duffie, 14 Melani Nanai, 13 Michael Collins, 12 Rieko Ioane, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Stephen Perofeta, 9 Augustine Pulu (c)/Sam Nock, 8 Akira Ioane, 7 Blake Gibson, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Matiaha Martin, 4 Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 3 Ofa Tuungafasi, 2 James Parsons, 1 Alex Hodgman
Replacements: 16 Matt Moulds/Leni Apisai, 17 Pauliasi Manu, 18 Sione Mafileo, 19 Jacob Pierce, 20 Murphy Taramai, 21 Jonathan Ruru, 22 Bryn Gatland, 23 TJ Faiane/Tumua Manu
Reds: 15 Jono Lance, 14 Jordan Petaia, 13 Samu Kerevi, 12 Duncan Paia’aua, 11 Eto Nabuli, 10 Hamish Stewart, 9 Moses Sorovi, 8 Scott Higginbotham (c), 7 George Smith, 6 Lukhan Tui, 5 Kane Douglas, 4 Harry Hockings, 3 Taniela Tupou, 2 Brandon Paenga-Amosa, 1 JP Smith
Replacements: 16 Alex Mafi, 17 Harry Hoopert, 18 Ruan Smith, 19 Caleb Timu, 20 Angus Scott-Young, 21 Tate McDermott, 22 Aidan Toua, 23 Filipo Daugunu
SHARE ME