Relive 1 NEWS NOW’s live coverage of tonight's Super Rugby clash between the Blues and Hurricanes at Eden Park in Auckland.
FULLTIME - BLUES 12 HURRICANES 22
The Hurricanes hold onto the ball and escape with a 22-12 win over the Blues. The visitors were sensational on defence stopping the Blues several times deep inside their own red zone. The Blues mistakes proved costly once again, failing to fire in crucial moments of the match.
75 mins - BLUES 12 HURRICANES 22
THREE! Hurricanes fullback Jordie Barrett steps up and fires a crucial shot at goal from 30m+ out on a slight angle to the uprights.
74 mins - BLUES 12 HURRICANES 19
PENALTY! Akira Ioane is tackled just outside of his own 22 and reserve flanker Du'Plessis Kirifi makes a crucial turnover for the Hurricanes. Ioane is penalised for failing to release the ball in the tackle.
73 mins - BLUES 12 HURRICANES 19
NO TRY! Again the Blues fumble the ball at a crucial time and five metres out of the Hurricanes' goal line. It is Marcel Renata who the guilty man, he just couldn't hold onto the ball while attempting a pick and go.
66 mins - BLUES 12 HURRICANES 19
TRY! Beauden Barrett comes out of nowhere and intercepts a pass from Augustine Pulu at halfway! He has no one in front of him and he goes all the way to score. A crucial try which has swung the momentum in the visitors' favour.
Beauden Barrett's conversion is off target.
60 mins - BLUES 12 HURRICANES 14
TRY! Augustine Pulu throws a big dummy from the base of the ruck and the Hurricanes players all fall for it. He makes a surging break up field before being brought down by Ardie Savea just outside on the Canes' 22. The Blues shift the ball to the right flank and Dalton Papali'i tippy toes down the sideline before powering over to score down the right hand corner.
Otere Black's conversion attempt from the side-line is off target as it curves to the left of the uprights.
53 mins - BLUES 7 HURRICANES 14
YELLOW CARD! Hurricanes prop Jeff To'omaga-Allen has been sent to the bin for giving away several penalties at scrum time.
51 mins - BLUES 7 HURRICANES 14
NO TRY! Blues lock Scott Scrafton powers his way to the try-line but he ground the ball short, but the Blues retain possession of the ball after the referee played advantage after the Hurricanes were ruled to be offside prior to Scrafton's run.
43 mins - BLUES 7 HURRICANES 14
PENALTY! Akira Ioane comes up with a vital turnover! Hurricanes midfielder Ngani Laumape takes the ball into contact, Akira Ioane and Dalton Papali'i get in over the ball and referee blows his whistle - rules that Laumape failed to release the ball in the tackle.
40 mins - BLUES 7 HURRICANES 14
And we are back underway with Otere Black kicking off deep towards the Hurricanes.
HALFTIME - BLUES 7 HURRICANES 14
It was all the Blues in the first 20 minutes, but the Hurricanes managed to work their way into the match with two tries. Mistakes have been costly for the Blues, with the home team missing out on several chances to score deep in Hurricanes' territory.
40 mins - BLUES 7 HURRICANES 14
PENALTY! Just as the Hurricanes looked to get in good attacking position Dalton Papali'i earns his side a much needed penalty. It is Ngani Laumape who is penalised for the Canes for not releasing the ball in a tackle.
37 mins - BLUES 7 HURRICANES 14
KNOCK ON! The Blues are in good attacking position, but Josh Goodhue fumbles the ball deep in the Hurricanes' 22. To be honest it wasn't the best pass from Augustine Pulu.
31 mins - BLUES 7 HURRICANES 14
TRY! The Barrett brothers combine! Ardie Savea makes some big metres after a brilliant well worked line-out drive from the Canes forwards. TJ Perenara passes the ball to Beauden from the back of the ruck, Beauden looks up and throws a perfect skip pass to his brother Jordie who gets on the outside of his defender and scores his side's second try of the match.
Beauden Barrett is on target with his conversion attempt at goal.
25 mins - BLUES 7 HURRICANES 7
NO TRY! Ma'a Nonu takes on the Hurricanes' line and it looks like he might be in. But Jordie Barrett comes out of nowhere tackling Nonu just centimetres from the try-line. The Blues now have a 5m scrum after the ref rules the ball was held up over the try-line.
23 mins - BLUES 7 HURRICANES 7
TRY! It all began with a turnover from Ngani Laumape at halfway. Laumape offloads the ball to Ben Lam and he goes all the way to score under the goal posts. He shimmies out of four Blues tackles and scores the Canes' first try of the match.
Beauden Barrett adds the extras.
19 mins - BLUES 7 HURRICANES 0
TURNOVER! It has been all the Blues in the opening 20m and it is TJ Perenara and Ardie Savea who make a crucial turnover. TJ Faiane is tackled 10m out from the Hurricanes' goal line and Perenara and Savea rush in and get their hands on the ball. The ref blows his whistle and rules that Faiane didn't release the ball in the tackle.
17 mins - BLUES 7 HURRICANES 0
PENALTY! The Blues turned down a shot at goal and decide to kick to touch. It was the Hurricanes hooker Asafo Aumua penalised for not releasing a Blues player in the tackle.
10 mins - BLUES 7 HURRICANES 0
TRY! WHAT A RUN! Patrick Tuipulotu makes a run from outside the Hurricanes' 22. He bumps off Beauden Barrett and powers out of a tackle attempt by James Blackwell and offloads the ball to Sam Nock who dives over to score the first five-pointer of the match.
Harry Plummer nails his conversion attempt from in front of the sticks.
5 mins - BLUES 0 HURRICANES 0
KICK! The Blues are happy to keep ball in hand and Ma'a Nonu around halfway decides to kick the ball, a strange move from the former All Blacks midfielder but it turns out to be a smart one as the ball bounces out deep in the Hurricanes' 22.
2 mins - BLUES 0 HURRICANES 0
Ofa Tu'ungafasi make a sensational break up field for the Blues from halfway after a brilliant short ball by Harry Plummer. Jordie and Beauden Barrett combine to take him down the big front rower fumbles the ball forward inside the Hurricanes' 22. A great start from the Blues on attack.
BLUES 0 HURRICANES 0
KICK-OFF! And we are underway! Beauden Barrett gets things started with a high and long kick-off towards the Blues.
PRE-MATCH:
The Blues are going into tonight’s match having lost their last three Super Rugby fixtures.
Meanwhile their rivals the Hurricanes have won their last four games.
The Hurricanes welcome back their skipper TJ Perenara at starting halfback with Ben Lam returning to wing after being side-lined due to leg injury.
Ma'a Nonu partners up with TJ Faiane in the midfield for the Blues with Rieko Ioane and Tanielu Tele'a named on the wings.
The Blues have won their last five matches at Eden Park with the Hurricanes heading in to tonight’s match having beaten the Blues in their last seven games against each other.
TEAMS:
Blues: 1.Karl Tu'inukuafe, 2.James Parsons, 3.Ofa Tuungafasi, 4.Patrick Tuipulotu, 5.Josh Goodhue, 6.Dalton Papalii, 7.Blake Gibson (captain), 8.Akira Ioane, 9.Sam Nock, 10.Harry Plummer, 11.Rieko Ioane, 12.Ma'a Nonu, 13.TJ Faiane, 14.Tanielu Tele'a, 15.Melani Nanai.
Reserves: 16.Leni Apisai, 17.Ezekiel Lindenmuth, 18.Marcel Renata, 19.Scott Scrafton, 20.Jed Brown, 21.Augustine Pulu, 22.Otere Black, 23.Matt Duffie.
Hurricanes: 1.Toby Smith, 2.Asafo Aumua, 3.Jeff To'omaga-Allen, 4.James Blackwell, 5.Isaia Walker-Leawere, 6.Vaea Fifita, 7.Ardie Savea, 8.Reed Prinsep, 9.TJ Perenara (captain), 10.Beauden Barrett, 11.Ben Lam, 12.Ngani Laumape, 13.Matt Proctor, 14.Wes Goosen, 15.Jordie Barrett.
Reserves: 16.Ricky Riccitelli, 17.Fraser Armstrong, 18.Ross Geldenhuys, 19.Kane La'aupepe, 20.Du'Plessis Kirifi, 21.Finlay Christie, 22.James Marshall, 23.Chase Tiatia.
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