The Blues have made their first trip to Fiji one to remember with a 30-14 win over the Drua on a hot Saturday afternoon of Super Rugby Pacific action.
With both sides boasting reputation for attacking flair, the first 20 minutes of the contest were anything but with errors stifling multiple opportunities and leaving the game scoreless.
However the Blues chipped themselves ahead with a Beauden Barrett penalty in the 25th minute before Zarn Sullivan - delivering another impressive performance this week at No.15 after coming off the bench early last week in their big win over the Waratahs - set up Rieko Ioane for the opening try.
Harry Plummer then contributed to the scoresheet with a penalty from right on halfway before the Drua finally got their chance to reply off a poor restart from the Blues.
Barrett's kicking was a key feature of the Blues in trying to wrestle control of the game although it did start rather shaky with a kick for touch instead going dead.
That gave the Fijians an attacking platform inside the visitors' 22 and sure enough, they powered through the line to score from short range with flanker Elia Canakaivata.
The Blues had the last laugh of the half though with a brilliant play from Cameron Suafoa, carrying on an initial break from Plummer to blast past three defenders and crash over to score.
That made it a 20-7 game in favour of the Blues at the break and it didn't take long for them to extend it shortly after restarting via captain Dalton Papali'i, who also had a standout game despite the Lautoka heat with some big tackles and multiple turnovers.
Canakaivata managed to nab a second try late in the game but a Barrett penalty in the final minutes effectively sealed the result, giving the Blues their sixth win of the season and shift into the top four, although they could fall back to fifth later this evening if the Crusaders get up against the Chiefs in Hamilton.
The Drua on the other hand stay 10th two points outside the top eight.
Fijian Drua 14 [Elia Canakaivata 2 tries; Teti Tela 2 con]
Blues 30 [Rieko Ioane, Cameron Suafoa, Dalton Papali'i tries; Beauden Barrett 3 con 2 pen, Harry Plummer 1 pen]
HT: 7-20
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