Blues edge Highlanders in Auckland thriller
The Highlanders outscored the Blues by four tries to three, but had to be content with a losing bonus point.
The Blues, under new coach Tana Umaga, were by no means flawless, but are far better than the hapless, bumbling outfit they were last year.
In fact they are going to knock over a few other big guns this year.
In an entertaining match in which the lead changed hands four times, the Highlanders staged a late comeback, but lacked the intensity of their New Zealand rivals.
"They played really well and deserved to win, we've got to do better," said captain Ben Smith, whose two-try effort made him the Highlanders' stand-out player.
This year's revamped, 18-team competition is expanding its horizons with new sides from Japan and Argentina, but the Blues are intent on turning back the clock to the days when they were a genuine force.
They won the last of their three titles in 2003, but have now sent a message that under Umaga they are a far more potent threat than the side that finished second last in 2015.
"We had a big emphasis on starting well and you can't get much bigger than beating the defending champions," said fly-half Ihaia West, who landed seven kicks to play a major part in the win.
"We've got a pretty young squad this year, lots of new faces and they gave it their all."
The Blues showed attacking intent early, moving the ball around and earning a penalty, only for West to send his kick wide.
It fell to Smith to score the first points of the season, with the All Blacks fullback stretching out from a tackle to plant the ball over the tryline.
West made amends for his missed penalty when he set up Melani Nanai's try in the 17th minute by chipping to Tevita Li, who released the winger for his score.
Powerful young flank Blake Gibson scored the Blues' second five-pointer in the 25th minute, bulldozing past four defenders.
Debutant centre Teihorangi Walden hit back immediately for the Highlanders, slipping through a hole in the defence, before Waisake Naholo sent them into the break 24-20 up.
After a helter-skelter first half, the second began as an arm wrestle, with two Blues penalties putting the Aucklanders ahead 26-24 with 20 minutes to go.
Patrick Tuipulotu then sealed it with the Blues' third try just after Highlander Patrick Osborne was sin binned.
But the final minutes were tense after Smith gave the Highlanders hope with a converted try from a move that began deep within his own half to make it 33-31.
"It's tough, it's never not tough," Smith said as he digested the loss.
Man of the match: The Highlanders was the Smith-show – Aaron the creative spark at scrumhalf and Ben the rock at fullback, along with scoring a double that kept his team in the hunt. For the Blues Ihaia West, despite some early kicking wobbles, edge his more acclaimed All Black rival Lima Sopoaga, while lock Patrick Tuipulotu got his diesel engine going in a big way. However, our award goes to Blues flank Blake Gibson, who not only scored a great try, but left his mark on the game in no uncertain way with an enormous workload.
The scorers:
For the Blues:
Tries: Vai, Gibson, Tuipulotu
Cons: West 3
Pens: West 4
For the Highlanders:
Tries: B Smith 2, Walden, Naholo
Cons: Sopoaga 3, Parker
Pen: Sopoaga
Yellow card: Patrick Osborne (Highlanders, 71 – professional foul, killing the ball at the ruck)
Teams.
Blues: 15 Lolagi Visinia, 14 Melani Nanai, 13 Male Sa'u, 12 George Moala, 11 Tevita Li, 10 Ihaia West, 9 Bryn Hall, 8 Steven Luatua, 7 Blake Gibson, 6 Joe Edwards, 5 Josh Bekhuis, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu, 3 Sione Mafileo, 2 James Parsons (captain), 1 Ofa Tu'ungafasi.
Replacements: 16 Quentin MacDonald, 17 Namatahi Waa, 18 Charlie Faumuina, 19 Akira Ioane, 20 Kara Pryor, 21 Billy Guyton, 22 Matt McGahan, 23 Rene Ranger.
Highlanders: 15 Ben Smith (co-captain), 14 Waisake Naholo, 13 Malakai Fekitoa, 12 Teihorangi Walden, 11 Patrick Osborne, 10 Lima Sopoaga, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Liam Squire, 7 Shane Christie (co-captain), 6 Elliot Dixon, 5 Joe Wheeler, 4 Tom Franklin, 3 Josh Hohneck, 2 Liam Coltman, 1 Daniel Lienert-Brown.
Replacements: 16 Ash Dixon, 17 Brendon Edmonds, 18 Ross Geldenhuys, 19 Alex Ainley, 20 Dan Pryor, 21 Fumiaki Tanaka, 22 Hayden Parker, 23 Matt Faddes.
Referee: Glen Jackson (New Zealand)
Assistant referees: Paul Williams (New Zealand), Brendon Pickerill (New Zealand)
TMO: Ben Skeen (New Zealand)
AFP & @rugby365com
