Blues hammer hapless Drua, Reds end Waratahs' play-off hopes

MATCH REPORT: The Blues have given the finals hopes a massive boost after an easy 34-5 win over the Fijian Drua.

It vaults them into the top six as their front-rowers delivered the damage.

Props Marcel Renata, Joshua Fusitu’a and Angus Ta’avao all crossed the line as the visitors came away with full points.

The Blues had an early try disallowed but couldn’t be stopped shortly afterwards as tight-head Renata rumbled over from close in the sixth minute.

The visitors were in control to start the game and kept the pressure on as the Drua held their calm at breakdown time.

Eventually, the hosts’ defence broke when scrumhalf Taufa Funaki dummied and went through a gap on the goal line.

Joshua Fusitu’a got in on the front-row action to extend the lead just after the half-hour mark.

It was the loosehead’s first Super Rugby try in his 35th game for the club as they took a 22-0 lead into the break.

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The Blues picked up where they left off as replacement prop Angus Ta’avao made it a hat-trick of prop tries when he spun and dived over with his first touch of the night.

The visitors were in complete control throughout the game as the Fijian Drua had little answer to their forward pack.

It set up Cole Forbes to waltz in for the easiest of tries after a several-player overlap leaving the winger to stroll over the line.

The Drua eventually got on the scoreboard with five minutes to go when cult hero Selestino Ravutaumada powered his way over the line in the corner.

The win sees the Blues sitting in fifth on the ladder for the time being, overtaking the Hurricanes and Moana Pasifika.

Meanwhile, the Drua remain at the bottom of the ladder as they prepare to host the Western Force next week.

In the other fixture, the Queensland Reds have all but ended NSW’s Super Rugby Pacific finals hopes on a disastrous night for the Waratahs in Sydney.

Superstar fullback Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii was knocked out in the first half as the Reds turned a 14-point deficit into a stirring 28-21 derby win at Allianz Stadium.

Suaalii was wiped out after an accidental knee to the jaw from teammate Andrew Kellaway as the pair collided in a tackle on Reds centre Filipo Daugunu.

Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt was among the concerned onlookers watching as the code-hopping weapon was treated for several minutes before being taken from the field on a medicab and in a neck brace.

Waratahs coach Dan McKellar said initial reports were that Suaalii had suffered a “groggy” dose of concussion.

“He’s gone home with his mum and dad, so he’s improved but yeah, it’s a concussion,” McKellar said.

McKellar was left feeling equally lousy after his Waratahs suffered their first home defeat of the season to remain anchored in third-last position three games out from the finals.

“It’s a tough one. It’s really, really tough. Incredibly frustrating,” he said.

“Some really dumb penalties that hurt us at key moments.”

Adding insult to injury, the friendly fire mishap between Suaalii and Kellaway happened with Queensland on a penalty advantage.

The Reds scored 30 seconds later through hooker Richie Asiata to level the match 14-14 moments before the halftime break.

NSW had made a blazing start, defying driving rain to jump to a 14-0 lead with tries to centre Henry O’Donnell and halfback Jake Gordon in the opening 20 minutes.

Queensland worked their way into the contest when skipper and scrumhalf Tate McDermott danced his way over from a quick tap when the Waratahs were a man down.

Prop Daniel Botha was yellow carded for a tip-top tackle on Reds lock Josh Canham.

Canham also found himself yellow-carded early in the second half for a dangerous tackle on returning Waratahs hooker David Porecki.

The Reds also leaked points while a player short, with powerhouse prop Taniela Tupou capping a mighty performance with his first try for the Waratahs that broke the second-half deadlock in the 51st minute.

Tupou’s joy didn’t last long before he, too, was yellow-carded for a head-on-head clash with Queensland centre Dre Pakeho deemed foul play by the TMO.

Again, the one-man advantage proved profitable as replacement hooker Josh Nasser touched down off a driving maul from the ensuing penalty to lock the game up with 11 minutes remaining.

McKellar could only shake his head in disbelief when Kellaway had the chance to put Darby Lancaster over for a potential match-winner, only to send the pass to the replacement winger’s bootlaces.

The coach’s anguish turned to downright despair barely a minute later when Reds winger Lachlan Anderson reeled in a pinpoint cross-field kick from Daugunu to score the winner down the other end.

“Our defensive effort was incredible, really courageous, and that’s what we asked for, but you’ve got to back it up with better execution,” McKellar said.

Queensland’s victory consolidated their fourth-place standing, maintaining hope of a top-three finish and an all-important home Final.

Fijian Drua 5-34 Blues

Scorers:

For Fiji Drua:
Try: Ravutaumada

For the Blues:
Tries: Renata, Funaki, Fusitu’a, Ta’avao, Forbes
Cons: Barrett: 3
Pen: Barrett

Teams:

Fiji Drua: 15 Ponipate Loganimasi, 14 Selestino Ravutaumada, 13 Vuate Karawalevu, 12 Inia Tabuavou, 11 Taniela Rakuro, 10 Kemu Valetini, 9 Simione Kuruvoli, 8 Kitione Salawa, 7 Isoa Tuwai, 6 Joseva Tamani, 5 Isoa Nasilasila, 4 Mesake Vocevoce, 3 Mesake Doge (captain), 2 Zuriel Togiatama, 1 Haereiti Hetet.
Replacements: 16 Tevita Ikanivere, 17 Peni Ravai, 18 Samuela Tawake, 19 Sailosi Vukalokalo, 20 Elia Canakiavata, 21 Philip Baselala, 22 Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, 23 Isikeli Rabitu.

Blues: 15 Corey Evans, 14 Cole Forbes, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 Xavi Taele, 11 AJ Lam, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Taufa Funaki, 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 7 Dalton Papali’i, 6 Anton Segner, 5 Laghlan McWhannell, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu (captain), 3 Marcel Renata, 2 Ricky Riccitelli, 1 Joshua Fusitu’a.
Replacements: 16 Kurt Eklund, 17 Mason Tupaea, 18 Angus Ta’avao, 19 Josh Beehre, 20 Adrian Choat, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Harry Plummer, 23 Zarn Sullivan.

Referee: Nic Berry
Assistant referees: Jeremy Markey, Matt Kellahan
TMO: Damon Murphy

Waratahs 21-28 Reds

The scorers:

For Waratahs:
Tries: O’Donnell, Gordon, Tupou
Cons: Edmed 3

For Reds:
Tries: McDermott, Asiata, Nasser, Anderson
Cons: Lynagh 2, McLaughlin-Phillips 2

Teams:

Waratahs: 15 Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 14 Andrew Kellaway, 13 Henry O’Donnell, 12 Joey Walton, 11 Triston Reilly, 10 Tane Edmed, 9 Jake Gordon (captain), 8 Langi Gleeson, 7 Charlie Gamble, 6 Rob Leota, 5 Miles Amatosero, 4 Fergus Lee-Warner, 3 Daniel Botha, 2 Dave Porecki, 1 Angus Bell.
Replacements: 16 Mahe Vailanu, 17 Tom Lambert, 18 Taniela Tupou, 19 Ben Grant, 20 Felix Kalapu, 21 Teddy Wilson, 22 Jack Bowen, 23 Darby Lancaster.

Reds: 15 Jock Campbell, 14 Lachie Anderson, 13 Filip Daugunu, 12 Dre Pakeho, 11 Tim Ryan, 10 Tom Lynagh, 9 Tate McDermott (captain), 8 John Bryant, 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Seru Uru, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 4 Josh Canham, 3 Zane Nonggorr, 2 Richie Asiata, 1 Sef Fa’agase.
Replacements: 16 Josh Nasser, 17 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 18 Massimo De Lutiis, 19 Ryan Smith, 20 Angus Blyth, 21 Joe Brial, 22 Kalani Thomas, 23 Harry McLaughlin-Phillips.

Referee: James Doleman
Assistant referees: Marcus Playle, Fraser Hannon
TMO: Richard Kelly