FULL TIME: Blues 24 28 Hurricanes
80mins: Hurricanes play smart - championship winning rugby in the final two minutes. Controlling the ball well and the game is over and the Canes heap more sorrow on the Blues who have only suffered a heavy defeat at the hands of the Chiefs in 2017. That was a great game. Will have video highlights for you in about 10-15 mins.
78mins: Ardie Savea joins the freak show! Brilliant work at the tackle- over the ball like a beast and the Canes earn a clearing penalty. Could be the game.
77mins: Crunch time for the hosts - lineout inside the Canes half. 40m out from a game winning try.
76mins: Just a comment - but gee wiz Beauden Barrett is a special talent. He is the sole reason the Canes are even in this game let alone looking like winning it.
73mins: TRY HURRICANES - 16 phases of just brilliant..brilliant Hurricanes rugby. Eventually Mark Abbott scores in the corner. Great defence from the Blues but the Canes had too many weapons in the end. Jordie with the extras. What a game and again the Blues look likely to lose a close NZ derby.
71mins: Beauden Barrett is so good it's stupid. Spots a gap behind the defensive line...chip kick and collect..he runs 30m and the Canes are back inside the Blues red zone. massive moment this.
70mins: Blues hot on attack.Luatua again with a huge break up the middle. They earn a penalty - they probably should have scored. But the referee reverses his decision based on bad info from his touch judge. Lucky escape for the visitors.
68mins: Hurricanes playing catch-up rigby with 13 mins remaining - plenty of time on the clock and it costs them as a willy nilly pass from Jordie Barrett goes into touch.
65mins: TRY BLUES - Brusing forward play from the lineout - 7 phases and then eventually Scott Scrafton crashes over for his forst try of 2017. Blues hit the front for the first time tonight. Gatland adds the extras.
64mins: Blues with their own lineout woes but its because a Hurricanes player obstructed Scott Scrafton. Lineout 5m out for the hosts.
61mins: Another lineout error for the Canes..thats 5 or 6 now. Blues scrum just inside their own half. They earn a penalty from the resulting ruck.
59mins: Mistake from Ardie Savea and he knocks the ball on 3m out - Blues break out and Collins chips it but it's too long and Beauden Barrett collects it and runs 35m on the counter-attack but his pass goes astray with the line open. Awesome 30 seconds of play there. Scrum Blues inside their own 10m.
56mins: Canes go super close. Corey Jane defuses a bomb..offloads quickly and TJ Perenara makes a nice break down the touchline, lovely little chip kick but Billy Guyton cleans it up but he is tackled in goal..scrum 5 Hurricanes.
53mins: PENALTY GOAL BLUES - Bryn Gatland, on for Piers Francis gets the easy three points. Four-point ball game.
52mins: Blues go on the attack through Matt Duffie and are now firmly planted inside the red zone..penalty advantage for offside and a Blake Gibson fumble gives the referee no choice..Blues will have a shot at three.
50mins: Blues again with a mistake during the lineout drive and the Canes break out...hot on attack here inside the Blues 30m mark but Luatua earns his side a penalty with great work at the ruck. He has been the Blues best tonight.
48mins: Blues win a penalty at scrum-time - Francis with the touch-finder..Blues lineout 30m out.
47mins: Blues have a defensive lineout 20m out..been a great part of their perfromance tonight..solid from set play..nice drive from the lineout but referee calls maul and the Blues turn the ball over. Scrum Canes.
44mins: Interesting period of play - The Blues holding onto possesion nicely but not making too much impact and eventually they force a pass and the Hurricanes get the ball back but Laumape knocks the ball on when he probably had a chance on the outside of the defender.
41mins: Mistake from Collins - knocks the ball on after a nice exit play from the Canes. That was poor. Scrum 30m out for the visitors..Beauden Barrett back on.
2nd half - Players back on the field and Francis gets us underway.
Half-time : Savea runs the ball into touch and the Canes survive. They fought well in the last 10 minutes to hold onto their lead with only 14 players..Beauden Barrett will need to be squeekly clean in the second 40 or risk another red card. Be back in 5 minutes. Warriors lead the Raiders 8-6 at half time in Canberra.
You can follow my main main Ben updating the Warriors here
40mins: This is so tedious - scrum reset after scrum reset.
39mins: This is a turnover-athon - seriously both sides doing great work at the breakdown. Hurricanes with a defensive scrum here which should spell the end of the half.
37mins: Kaino breaks free and is tackled 10m out and turns the ball over. Hurricanes clear.
36mins: Overthrown by Riccitelli and the Blues will get a chance to clear but the turn the ball over again and the Canes go on attack 20m out - wait no the Canes turn it over and the Blues break out - SBW throws a speculator and Duffie crosses into the Canes half.
35mins: Hurricanes looking to finish the half strong. Lineout inside the Blues half and the have a penalty advantage. Jordie Barrett seems keen for a shot but Perenara says 'no mate' and they will go for the lineout.
32mins: Rieko Ioane drops the ball in contact and the homeside blow a chance to close the gap. Blues lineout 30m out
30mins: Yellow card Beauden Barret for..you guessed it...a deliberate knock on - SBW trying to make up for a few errors - made a lovely line break and they would have scored if he had passed it but he took the tackle and Barrett infringed at the insuing ruck.
28mins: TRY HURRICANES - Things go from bad to worse for Sonny Bill. He reads a pass wrong and it slips through his hands - Barrett toes it through - gets a sweet bounce and smokes it to the tryline. Hurricanes living on Blues errors tonight. Jordie with the extra two.
27mins: Good defence from the Blues earns them a penalty - managed to contain a period of Hurricanes offence and were rewarded with a ruck penalty.
24mins: Mistake from SBW in midfield and the Canes get the ball back inside their own half. Pulu down hurt after a crunching tackle on Brad Shields.
22mins: Hurricanes put a bit of pressure on and turn the ball over inside the Blues half - good work from Laumape but the Blues get the ball back and head off upfield. Francis with a clearing kick and Goosen makes a mess of it and the Blues have a scrum 30m out from the Canes line.
18mins: TRY BLUES Blues controlling the play and holding most of the ball but find themselves behind. Luatua with a a break, storms over Vince Aso, beautiful pass to Melani Nanai who goes over in the corner. That was great rugby. Francis makes no mistake from the sideline.
15mins: TRY HURRICANES - Take a bow Beauden Barrett - he skins Piers Francis on the outside - runs 35m - offloads to Laumape who steps Michael Collins and then makes Sonny Bill Williams looks silly turning him inside and out. Jordie adds the extras.
14mins: Fatialofa is off with what looks to be a pretty serious knee injury....Vaea Fifita on as his replacement. Blues blow a huge chance to go in front...Pulu sets up a three on one but Francis drops the ball with Duffie on his outside.
13mins: Sides exchanging possessions here - going 5-6 phases and then turning the ball over. Michael Fatialofa is down and it looks realy bad..clutching his knee in pain.
11mins: Blues look great with ball in hand. Make about 40m with ease but James Parsons gives away a penalty for leaving his feet at the ruck.
9mins: Kick misses away to the right. Fun start to the game.
8mins: Silly penalty given away from SBW - lucky not to be carded for a no arms late tackle. Jordie Barrett will have a shot here to put the Canes back in front.
5mins: TRY BLUES - Augustine Pulu scores from a turnover inside the Hurricanes 22 from the kick off. Nice little break from Melani Nanai who slipped a lovely pass to his halfback. Francis with the extra two...all tied up.
3mins: TRY HURRICANES - Mark Abbott drives over on second phase - geat start for the Canes. Poor ruck defence from the Blues, completley exposed there. Jordie Barrett adds the extra two.
2mins: Penalty Hurricanes - Blues a mile offside multilple times and as is the case this year amongst these New Zealand sides the attacking side takes the offensive option. Scrum 5m out for the Hurricanes.
Kick Off : Beauden Barrett gets us underway - Blues try to ruck the ball out - Charge down from the Canes and the visitors go straight on attack.
No late scratchings for either side - as per programme. Stadium looks about half full or empty depending on your point of view.
Players and officials preparing to take centre stage.
Pre Match: Blues are 1 for their last 18 aginst New Zealand sides in Super Rugby..Ouch!
Jeff Wilson just compared Matt Duffie to Ben Smith - potentially? - maybe?. Ben Smith is a special player.
Will not be talking about tape over sponsor names tonight - rugby only folks :)
Very calm and cool evening in Auckland tonight - crowd is slowly wondering in at Eden Park. Let's hope they witness an open game full of tries!
Hello and welcome to live updates of the Blues hosting the Hurricanes at Eden Park in Auckland.
We bring you live streaming written commentary, video highlights (be sure to refresh your browser) and all the action. VIDEO will be available as soon as the final whistle goes.
Commentary will start from around 7:30pm (NZT). In the meantime check out the video above looking at this weeks biggest rugby discussion....Sonny Bill Williams.
Lineups
Blues
1. Pauliasi Manu 2. James Parsons (c) 3. Charlie Faumuina 4. Gerard Cowley-Tuioti 5. Scott Scrafton 6. Jerome Kaino 7. Blake Gibson 8. Steven Luatua 9. Augustine Pulu 10. Piers Francis 11. Melani Nanai 12. Sonny Bill Williams 13. Rieko Ioane 14. Matt Duffie 15. Michael Collins
Reserves - 16. Matt Moulds, 17. Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 18. Sione Mafileo, 19. Jimmy Tupou, 20. Akira Ioane, 21. Billy Guyton, 22. Bryn Gatland, 23. George Moala
Hurricanes
1. Ben May, 2. Ricky Riccitelli, 3. Jeffery To'omaga-Allen, 4. Mark Abbott, 5. Michael Fatialofa, 6. Brad Shields,7. Callum Gibbins, 8 Ardie Savea, 9. TJ Perenara (c), 10. Beauden Barrett, 11 Julian Savea, 12. Ngani Laumape, 13. Vince Aso, 14. Wes Goosen, 15. Jordie Barrett
Reserves - 16. Leni Apisai, 17. Chris Eves, 18. Mike Kainga, 19. Vaea Fifita, 20. Reed Prinsep, 21. Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi, 22Otere Black,23. Cory Jane
Match facts and stats
Referee: Mike Fraser
Assistants: Jamie Nutbrown and Paul Williams
TMO: Ben Skeen
The Hurricanes have won their last four games against the Blues, the longest winning streak by either team in this fixture since the Blues won the first eight games between the clubs.
The Blues have won just one of their last nine home games against fellow New Zealand teams, though each of their last four such fixtures have been decided by no more than the value of an unconverted try.
Only once in their last nine away games against New Zealand opposition have the Hurricanes conceded more than two tries.
The Blues have failed to score a second-half try in three of their last five Super Rugby games; each of those three was against New Zealand opposition.
Past meetings
Head to head: Played 27, Blues 14, Hurricanes 12, draws 1
In Auckland: Played 14, Blues 8, Hurricanes 6, draws 0
Last time played: Hurricanes 37 def Blues 27, July 2, 2016
Last time in Auckland: Hurricanes 23 def Blues 19, March 11, 2016
TAB odds: Blues - $2.85 Hurricanes - $1.42
Pre-match banter - Tana Umaga hopeful Sonny Bill Williams, Rieko Ioane, midfield pairing provides missing Blues spark
Coach Tana Umaga is hoping the return of midfield maestro Sonny Bill Williams will galvanise the Blues in their Super Rugby clash against the Hurricanes in Auckland on Saturday.
Returning from an eight-month injury-enforced absence, Williams stretched his legs for the final 25 minutes of the Blues' 26-20 loss to the Highlanders last weekend.
Umaga saw enough to name Williams in his starting line-up for Saturday, with 20-year-old All Black Rieko Ioane lining up outside Williams at centre.
The exciting duo are still something of an unknown combination, Umaga admits.
"It's the first time they'll play together - training's all good, but under pressure we'll see how that goes," he said.
"It's got its possibilities and it's exciting, so we'll have to see how that pans out."
It seems unlikely Williams will last the full 80 minutes, but Umaga has the luxury of yet another All Blacks midfielder in George Moala on his bench.
Moala has shouldered a heavy workload for the Blues so far this season, but wasn't at his best against the Highlanders, Umaga says.
"Performance is what we judge on, and if you're not performing, then we've got someone that can step in and is willing to take his chance."
After seven games, the Blues currently sit bottom of the New Zealand Super Rugby conference, their only wins coming over the Rebels, Bulls and Force.
Umaga acknowledges the pressure is on, but says his team will be focused on their own game rather that that of the in-form Hurricanes, whose only loss in six games has been to the Chiefs.
"We've got to look after our own game first and foremost," he said.
"We know they're going to bring a lot of energy - they're playing with unreal confidence at the moment, and we've got to try and combat that.
"We've shown we can compete with every team for a certain amount of time, and the game we've got works when we stick to it for 80 minutes."
The Blues have yet to manage that against a New Zealand team, having racked up losses against the Chiefs, the Highlanders (twice) and the Crusaders.
Umaga says it's not a lack of effort which is behind the defeats, rather an inability to keep cool under pressure.
"It's making sure we stay disciplined and play our game, not try t do everything.
"Everyone wants it that bad, they're jumping over each other to try and do things, create things, rather than just having that discipline to stay within our structures."
