VIDEO: Blues thrash Bok inspired Moana, Reds down sloppy Brumbies
WRAP: The Blues overcame a plucky Moana outfit at North Harbour Stadium, whilst the Reds handed the Brumbies their third consecutive defeat.
Meanwhile, the Fijian Drua have kept their finals hopes alive with a 24-14 win over the Highlanders in Ba.
It ensures the Dura’s perfect record at the new venue, having opened the ground with victory over the Brumbies earlier in the year.
The victory is also their first over the Highlanders after four straight defeats in their short history.
The Highlanders set the tempo for an entertaining contest when Timoci Tavatavanawai and Jonah Lowe nearly combined for the opener in the first minute.
The Drua would rally, frustrating the visitors with their work over the ball across the 80 minutes.
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Tuidraki Samusamuvodre made an impact on his return, breaking through the line before centre partner Virimi Vakatava crossed in the ninth minute.
Lowe responded four minutes later in the corner to level the scores as both teams hunted for points.
Fullback Isikeli Rabitu eventually put the Drua in front, stepping past his defender and diving over.
The Highlanders would take the lead right before the break through Veveni Lasaqa, with the Fijian heritage flanker crossing at the back of the rolling maul for a 14-12 lead.
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But the hosts were quick to hit back to start the second half as fullback Rabitu’s pace was too much, sprinting away for his second.
The turnover ball continued to hurt the Highlanders, allowing Elia Canakaivata to extend their lead to ten.
The visitors almost hit back after Lasaqa nearly produced an unbelievable intercept try from a five-metre scrum, with the ball just hitting the deck before he could re-gather.
They would be handed a golden opportunity after a pair of mistakes left the Drua scrambling, and Rabitu was yellow-carded for a cynical foul on his line.
But somehow, the Drua muscled up and held them out for the 10-minute period despite several raids on their line.
The most threatening came in the 68th minute when a clutch tackle dislodged the ball from Soane Vikena’s hands as the hooker latched onto an overthrown five metre line-out and dived for the line.
This buoyed the hosts as they closed out the game, nearly nabbing a winning bonus point after the siren, only to be denied a try for a knock-on on the goal-line.
They sit three points behind the Reds (23), who have a game in hand, and are joined by the Highlanders and Waratahs on 20 competition points.
Meanwhile, the Highlanders face a must-win match against the Waratahs next weekend, falling to nab a last-minute losing bonus point on a frustrating afternoon.
In the following clash, the Blues have powered home in the second half for a 45-19 victory over Moana Pasifika at North Harbour Stadium.
The win was set up by a dominant period before and after the break, which saw the visitors rally from a slow start and race clear for the bonus point victory.
Despite what the scoreline may suggest, Moana Pasifika were more than in the contest early and came up with a unique opening try off a set-play from the tap after several minutes camped inside the Blues’ 22.
Taking inspiration from the Springboks, the hosts launched a midfield line-out off a quick tap, setting up the maul for Millennium Sanerivi to power over for the opener.
It left the Blues scrambling as they were stung early by poor discipline, giving away the first five penalties of the game.
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They steadied themselves through prop Marcel Renata for a 7-5 lead, but a smart use of misdirection freed Sanerivi up down the short side for a power burst and his second.
North Harbour product Kade Banks put the Blues in front on his home ground, stepping his way over the line two minutes from halftime to give them a two-point lead.
Skipper Patrick Tuipulotu quickly extended the visitors’ advantage to start the second half, followed by James Mullan as the Blues ran away with the win.
Moana Pasifika had little answer to the rise in intensity from their neighbours as Stephen Perofeta capitalised on a turnover to score to cap off his impressive night.
Showing off the embarrassment of riches at their disposal, Perofeta was replaced by Beauden Barrett, who crossed with one of his first touches of the night.
Chris Apoua got a consolation try for the hosts, the second try of his career.
In the end, it wasn’t enough to deny the Blues the bonus point, as Terrell Peita’s debut try sealed full points and kept Vern Cotter’s side in the hunt for top spot on the ladder.
They’ll face the Crusaders next Friday at the new One NZ Stadium, with a win putting them before the Hurricanes take on Moana Pasifika a day later.
In the final match of the weekend, the Reds completed a first-season derby double over the Brumbies to surge into the Super Rugby Pacific top four.
The Reds’ spirited and seesawing 30-21 victory in Brisbane on Saturday night also consigned the Brumbies to three straight defeats for the first time since 2018, continuing Stephen Larkham’s side’s slippery slide down the ladder.
The Reds’ great respect for the Brumbies ultimately – and ironically – secured the win at Suncorp Stadium, with three successful penalty goals from flyhalf Harry McLaughlin-Phillips proving the difference in the nine-point win.
The Reds have been dogged trailblazers for spurning penalty-goal attempts to instead shoot for tries in recent seasons. Indeed, the only time this season they have opted for penalty goals have been against the Brumbies.
In denying the Brumbies even a bonus point, the Reds not only leapfrogged Australia’s perennial benchmark outfit.
The Brumbies’ sixth loss from their past eight matches leaves Larkham’s men precariously placed in sixth spot four weeks out from the finals.
Queensland, though, are flying after edging above the defending champion Crusaders into fourth spot.
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Reds mentor and soon-to-be Wallabies coach Les Kiss would have been especially impressed with Australia’s second-row stocks after opposing locks Lachlan Shaw and Lukhan Salakaia-Loto traded early tries.
A storming Salakaia-Loto charged over in the sixth minute to offset Shaw’s pick-and-go effort.
McLaughlin-Phillips broke the deadlock with his first penalty goal. In a coach killer for Larkham, the Reds extended their lead to 10 points on the stroke of halftime when Josh Flook pounced on Kalani Thomas’s beautifully-weighted grubber kick into the Brumbies’ in-goal area.
Another McLaughlin-Phillips penalty looked to have put the Reds in control with a 13-point buffer before flanker, and Wallabies captain Harry Wilson spilt the ball from the restart, inviting the Brumbies back into the contest.
Dual John Eales Medallist Rob Valetini didn’t need a second invitation, crossing to reduce the deficit to six points.
Then surging centre David Feliuai forced his way over to put the Brumbies back in front. But, despite squandering four straight lineout throws, the Reds weathered the storm.
Lock Seru Uru steadied the ship with the Reds’ third try before McLaughlin-Phillips’ third penalty put the nail in the Brumbies’ coffin in Tom Wright’s milestone 100th Super match.
Fijian Drua 24-14 Highlanders
Scorers
For Fijian Drua:
Tries: Rabitu 2, Canakaitva, Vakatawa
Cons: Armstrong-Ravula 2
For the Highlanders:
Tries: Lowe, Lasaqa
Cons: Millar 2
Teams
Fijian Drua: 15 Isikeli Rabitu, 14 Frank Lomani, 13 Tuidraki Samusamuvodre, 12 Virimi Vakatawa, 11 Joji Nasova, 10 Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula, 9 Issak Fines-Leleiwasa, 8 Elia Canakaivata, 7 Kitione Salawa, 6 Joseva Tamani, 5 Temo Mayanavanua, 4 Isoa Nasilasila, 3 Mesake Doge, 2 Zuriel Togiatama, 1 Haereiti Hetet
Replacements: 16 Kavaia Tagivetaua, 17 Emosi Tuqiri, 18 Peni Ravai, 19 Mesake Vocevoce, 20 Isoa Tuwai, 21 Philip Baselala, 22 Kemu Valetini, 23 Maika Tuitubou
Highlanders: 15 Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens, 14 Jonah Lowe, 13 Tanielu Tele’a, 12 Timoci Tavatavanawai, 11 Jona Nareki, 10 Cameron Millar, 9 Folau Fakatava, 8 Veveni Lasaqa, 7 Nikora Broughton, 6 Te Kamaka Howden, 5 Mitch Dunshea, 4 Oliver Haig, 3 Angus Ta’avao, 2 Jack Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot (co-c)
Replacements: 16 Soane Vikena, 17 Daniel Lienert-Brown, 18 Saula Ma’u, 19 Sean Withy, 20 Lucas Casey, 21 Adam Lennox, 22 Taine Robinson, 23 Xavier Tito-Harris
Referee: Paul Williams
Assistant referees: Angus Mabey, Mike Winter
TMO: Aaron Paterson
Moana Pasifika 19-45 Blues
Scorers
For the Blues:
Tries: Renata, Banks, Mullan, Tuipulotu, Barrett, Peita, Perofeta
Cons: Perofeta 4, Barrett
For Moana Pasifika:
Tries: Sanerivi 2, Apoua
Cons: Havili 2
Teams
Moana Pasifika: 15 Glen Vaihu, 14 Israel Leota, 13 Solomon Alaimalo, 12 Tevita Latu, 11 Tuna Tuitama, 10 William Havili, 9 Jonathan Taumateine, 8 Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa, 7 Semisi Paea, 6 Miracle Faiilagi (captain), 5 Jimmy Tupou, 4 Allan Craig, 3 Atu Moli, 2 Millenium Sanerivi, 1 Malakai Hala-Ngatai
Replacements: 16 Mamoru Harada, 17 Abraham Pole, 18 Chris Apoua, 19 Veikoso Poloniati, 20 Dominic Ropeti, 21 Augustine Pulu, 22 Jackson Garden-Bachop, 23 Tyler Pulini
Blues: 15 Zarn Sullivan, 14 Kade Banks, 13 Xavi Taele, 12 Pita Ahki, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Stephen Perofeta, 9 Sam Nock, 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 7 Anton Segner, 6 Torian Barnes, 5 Sam Darry, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu (captain), 3 Marcel Renata, 2 Kurt Eklund, 1 Ben Ake.
Replacements: 16 James Mullan, 17 Mason Tupaea, 18 Flyn Yates, 19 Josh Beehre, 20 Terrell Peita, 21 Finlay Christie, 22 Beauden Barrett, 23 AJ Lam
Referee: Nic Berry
Assistant referees: Reuben Keane, Louis Trisley
TMO: Brett Cronan
Reds 30-21 Brumbies
Scorers
For the Reds:
Tries: Salakaia-Loto, Flook, Uru
Cons: McLaughlin-Phillips 3 McLaughlin-Phillips 2, Volvavola
For the Brumbies:
Tries: Shaw, Valetini, Feliuai
Cons: R. Lonergan 3
Teams
Reds: 15 Jock Campbell, 14 Filipo Daugunu, 13 Josh Flook, 12 Hunter Paisami, 11 Tim Ryan, 10 Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, 9 Kalani Thomas, 8 Harry Wilson (captain), 7 Fraser McReight, 6 Joe Brial, 5 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 4 Seru Uru, 3 Zane Nonggorr, 2 Matt Faessler, 1 Aidan Ross.
Replacements: 16 Josh Nasser, 17 Jeffery Toomaga-Allen, 18 Nick Bloomfield, 19 Hamish Muller, 20 Vaiuta Latu, 21 Louis Werchon, 22 Ben Volavola, 23 Treyvon Pritchard
Brumbies: 15 Tom Wright, 14 Andy Muirhead, 13 Kadin Pritchard, 12 David Feliuai, 11 Corey Toole, 10 Declan Meredith, 9 Ryan Lonergan (captain), 8 Toby Macpherson, 7 Rory Scott, 6 Rob Valetini, 5 Lachlan Shaw, 4 Nick Frost, 3 Rhys van Nek, 2 Lachlan Lonergan, 1 James Slipper.
Replacements: 16 Liam Bowron, 17 Blake Schoupp, 18 Darcy Breen, 19 Cadeyrn Neville, 20 Luke Reimer, 21 Klayton Thorn, 22 Tane Edmed, 23 Ollie Sapsford
Referee: Ben O’Keeffe
Assistant referees: Todd Petrie, Warwick Lahmert
TMO: Richard Kelly
