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Blues make it a winning finish

Sat, 15 May 2010 11:30

Reason to smile: Blues captain and hooker Keven Mealamu

The Blues managed to finish their season on a winning note when they scored a deserved 30-20 victory over the Chiefs at Eden Park, in Auckland, on Saturday.

The five-tries-to-three win means the Blues can look back on a season that produced more victories (seven) than defeats (six), but ultimately saw them finish in a disappointing mid-table position.

Blues captain Kevin Mealamu said the team had played for wing Rudi Wulf, who had his first child, a boy, earlier in the week.

He also reflect on the 'what ifs' of the season, games they could have, and should have, won to give then a shot at the play-offs.

"The boys tried very hard this year," Mealamu said, adding: "IT is just unfortunate we couldn't finish some of those games."

For the Chiefs' stand-in captain Liam Messam it was time to reflect ion a bitterly disappointing campaign after they made the Final in 2009.

He refused to use the large number of injuries as an excuse.

"It gave some young guys a chance and they did us proud," Messam said.

It was a game with plenty of entertainment value, in terms of attacking rugby. But it was also a match that for long periods lacked any real structure - making it rather obvious that with neither team having anything to play for, they were rather keen on having some fun.

The approach of the teams meant that with them not paying as much attention to their execution as you would normally expect, more chances were wasted than those taken.

The Blues dominated the early exchanges of both halves, especially the set pieces, but they lacked in their execution - wasting a number of early scoring opportunities. They were particularly destructive in the scrums, ensuring that whatever possession the Chiefs received was on the back foot. At least the Chiefs' line-outs were a little more secure.

It was a game of much movement and plenty of action, but very little constructive rugby. In fact both halves were marked by the large number of errors on both sides.

The Chiefs, although they tried to create opportunities, and indeed played with enthusiasm, just looked like a side without any self belief.

The Blues blew an early scoring chance, after Joe Rokocoko was involved in a move that stretched the Chiefs on both the left and right touchlines of the pitch. But twice, the second time into touch, the pass went behind the runners.

However, the Blues kept hammering away and soon earned a penalty right in front - which Stephen Brett hooked past the uprights.

The first score came only in the 26th, when Rudi Wulf had come off his wing to exploit the Chiefs' defensive frailties in midfield and set up a midfield ruck - from where the ball went through the hands to right wing, for Paul Williams to crash over. Brett, having missed a sitter earlier, now slotted the touchline conversion for a 7-0 lead.

Minutes later the Chiefs managed to open their account, a Trent Renata penalty, after the Blues went offside.

However, the visitors were reduced to 14 men with just under 10 minutes of the opening half left, after the referee yellow-carded Chiefs No.8 Colin Bourke for a professional foul - playing the ball on the ground.

And the Blues were soon able to utilise their numerical advantage, when Benson Stanley scored after he had made the initial bust and then came up wide on the right to collect the scoring pass after a ruck deep inside the Chiefs' 22. This time Brett hooked his conversion attempt - 12-3.

Renata managed to closer the gap to 6-12 right on the half-time hooter with his second penalty shot of the game - bringing to an end a scrappy first half.

The Blues started the second half just as they did the first, on the attack. Rudi Wulf was over the line, after a strong run, but the call had to go to the TMO and he ruled that the ball was held up. From the subsequent scrum they launched a series of pick-'n-go raids, but again the ball was held up over the line. It was from the next scrum that Alby Mathewson darted over for the opening score of the half. Brett again hooked his conversion past the left upright - 17-6.

However, Brett landed his next strike, a penalty from 40 metres out, to give his team a 14-point lead.

And moment later the Chiefs No.8, Bourke, was penalised for a late, shoulder charge on Blue flank Serge Lilo. He was indeed lucky not to have been carded and sent to the sidelines for the rest of the game, as it was indeed a cynical charged into the back of an unprotected player.

However, the Chiefs scored next - with Junior Poluleuligaga very prominent in a counter from deep inside their own half, and  captain Liam Messam eventually going over for the try. Renata added the conversion and at 13-20 the Chiefs were back in it.

The Blues wasted no time in working their way back upfield from the restart and they were again over the line, only for the TMO to rule that it was held up. From the scrum the Blues launched another series of pick-'n-go raids, before the ball went wide where Rudi Wulf went over for the tournament's 500th try of the season - a Super Rugby record. Brett still struggled with his goal-kicking, but at 25-13 the Blues had some breathing space again.

Wulf put the match beyond doubt with his second try of the match, a set-piece move that saw the Blues take the ball up in the midfield, then back to the right and quickly wide to the left where Wulf easily beat Chiefs fullback Tim Nanai-Williams in a one-on-one contest. Luke McAllister couldn't add the conversion, but at 30-13 and just on six minutes remaining in the match it was beyond the reach of the Chiefs.

There was a late raid by the Chiefs, but they were penalised for illegally propelling the ball over the line. However, Chiefs wing Save Tokula got a consolation score when he bust his way through in midfield to score. With Renata adding the conversion it was a 30-20 victory to the Blues.

Man of the match: It wasn't a game of many stand-out players, although a few did produce moments worthy of consideration. Our award goes to Blues wing Rudi Wulf, who was a constant threat on attack - helping create one of his team's tries and scored two of his own.

The scorers:

For the Blues:
Tries: Williams, Stanley, Mathewson, Wulf 2
Con: Brett
Pen: Brett

For the Chiefs:
Tries: Messam, Tokula
Cons: Renata 2
Pens: Renata 2

Yellow card: Colin Bourke (Chiefs, 31 - professional foul, playing the ball on the ground)

Teams:

Blues: 15 Paul Williams, 14 Joe Rokocoko, 13 Rene Ranger, 12 Benson Stanley, 11 Rudi Wulf, 10 Stephen Brett, 9 Alby Mathewson, 8 Viliami Ma'afu, 7 Serge Lilo, 6 Peter Saili, 5 Anthony Boric, 4 Kurtis Haiu, 3 John Afoa, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Tom McCartney, 17 Charlie Faumuina, 18 Filo Paulo, 19 Tom Chamberlain, 20 Chris Smylie, 21 Luke McAllister, 22 George Pisi.

Chiefs: 15 Tim Nanai-Williams, 14 Save Tokula, 13 Jackson Willison, 12 Phil Burleigh, 11 Jason Hona, 10 Trent Renata, 9 Brendon Leonard, 8 Colin Bourke, 7 Tanerau Latimer, 6 Liam Messam (captain), 5 Culum Retallick, 4 Craig Clarke, 3 Ben Afeaki, 2 Aled de Malmanche, 1 Toby Smith.
Replacements: 16 Hika Elliot, 17 Tristan Moran, 18 Kevin O'Neill, 19 Luke Braid 20 Junior Poluleuligaga, 21 Siale Piutau, 22 Tim Mikkelson.

Referee: Paul Marks (Australia)
Assistant referees: Garratt Williamson (New Zealand), Jonathon White (New Zealand)
TMO: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)

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