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Blues 35 Drua 18
Blues - Lam 2, Ioane, Renata & Darry tries, Barrett 5 conversions
Drua - Dolkoto & Ratave try, Kuruvoli conversion & 2 penalties
Fulltime
40th minute - Blues need to defend this to keep their bonus point and they dominate the scrum. Drua still have the ball, as the siren goes, and Blues defend desperately.
Williams calls advantage to the Drua just metres out. Barrett is warned again, as Drua tap and go...
The forwards try to barge across, stacking up phases, but they need to release to the backs. Segner holds the ball up in the maul and wins a crucial penalty.
Barrett taps and kicks to touch to end the match...
39th minute - Riccitelli is back on for Vikena, but his throw to the lineout is crooked and Drua have a scrum five metres out.
38th minute - Drua win the lineout, but Blues hold up the maul. When the ball is released, Ratave slices back through the forwards, but is smashed into touch short of the corner.
37th minute - Drua put pressure on the Blues scrum and win a penalty. Taliga kicks to touch for an attacking lineout.
35th minute - Ratave takes the Drua into the Blues 22, but Ravouvou knocks on in a tackle.
34th minute - Drua have another scrum on halfway and burst into BLues half.
33rd minute - Drua move left off their scrum, then try to bust up centrefield. Ioane almost picks off another intercept.
32nd minute - Blues are penalised in a tackle, but Drua tap quickly. Blues win the ball in a maul, but are then held up and conceded a scrum feed in their own half.
31st minute - Lam charges down what could have been a dangerous kick inside the Drua half, but Williams is reviewing something...
Vikena has been hit in the head, but he's so low to the ground, there's nowhere else the tackler could have gone. Williams agrees.
Drua win a lineout on their own 10 and maul towards halfway. Ravouvou spots a half gap in midfield as Drua cross hflaway.
30th minute - Blues win the lineout on the Drua 10. Ioane threatens to bust the defence out right, but Blues lose the ball in the 22 and the Drua break out.
29th minute - Williams has Tu'inukuafe for offside and he's shown a yellow card, after a couple of warnings to the Blues. Kneepkens leaves the field too, as Blues bring Lay back for the scrum.
Amid the confusion, Blues win a scrum penalty to clear.
28th minute - Drua feed the scrum near the Blues 22, but they're going backwards again.
27th minute - Sotutu knocks on at the kickoff - to be fair, it was deflected by Rarasea, but undetected by Williams.
25th minute - TRY to Lam
Romano rises high to win the lineout and Lam runs a punishing line off the back to spin over in a tackle. Barrett slots the conversion, BLU 35-18
24th minute - Blues win a scrum penalty on the Drua 10 and Barrett finds touch 10 metres out from the goal-line.
23rd minute - Milo-Harris makes his Blues debut, replacing Funaki at halfback.
22nd minute - Barrett is smashed in a tackle, but Kneepkens kicks long and Drua counterattack, before Derenalagi spills the ball in his own half.
RTS is replaced by Tela'a and Segner replaces Choat.
21st minute - Drua win the lineout and Dolokoto runs off the back, but the ball goes loose along the backline and Drua end up in their own half.
20th minute - From the kickoff, Sotutu is penalised for taking a player in the air and Kuruvoli finds touch towards the Blues 22.
18th minute - TRY to Ratave
Kuruvoli finds touch and Drua win a lineout through Namimbi. The forwards maul towards the corner and when the ball comes free, Ratave barges through three tacklers to score.
Kuruvoli's conversion stays left, BLU 28-18
17th minute - Drua win the lineout and maul inside the 22. Their forwards lay seige to the Blues line, but Williams has the Blues for another penalty and warns Barrett again.
15th minute - Kuruvoli's kick for touch doesn't find it, but neither does Lam's and Drua have a ruck penalty in Blues half. Barrett is warned of his team's persistent infringement.
14th minute - Drua launch an attack off the scrum and when Kneepkens is isolated in a tackle, Drua have a penalty in midfield.
12th minute - Drua win another kickoff, but Solo can't take a high pass. As the Blues shift right, Telea also drops the ball.
11th minute - TRY to Ioane
Drua win a lineout and mount another attack on the BLues 22, but Ioane anticipates a long pass and runs 80 metres to score under the posts. Barrett converts, BLU 28-13
10th minute - Blues win a lineout in their 22 and Funaki clears beyond the 22.
Ninth minute - Drua clear their scrum and Samusamuvodre enters the backline, as they charge into the BLues 22.
Eighth minute - From the kickoff, Funaki knocks on, but Drua are going backwards, so no advantage. They get a scrum on their own 10.
Seventh minute - Kuruvoli slots the penalty off the right upright, BLU 21-13
Sixth minute - Williams is playing advantage and brings them back for the offside penalty in front of the posts.
Fifth minute - Both teams have players down and Williams has to stop the attack, as play passes too close to the injured players.
Drua run off the back of the scrum and work down the left side.
Fourth minute - Drua have the scrum feed on Blues 10 and Ravouvou charges into the 22.
Second minute - Blues win the lineout, and RTS bursts up the centre and into the 22. Blues forwards lay seige to the goal-line, Sotutu goes close, but Drua pounce on a loose ball and hack it upfield.
First minute - Kuruvoli kicks off for Drua, who reclaim the ball and go onto attack, but Blues get the penalty at the ruck. Barrett finds touch near the Drua 22.
Halftime
40th minute - Blues knock on in midfield, so Drua will have a scrum to launch an attack before halftime.
From the scrum, Drua are penalised for not releasing in a tackle and Barrett kicks to touch. Sotutu wins the lineout near the Drua 10 and Ioane bursts into the 22.
As the Blues shift right, RTS tries to flick a backhanded pass to Telea, but he can't gather it and that's the half over.
39th minute - Laulala has immediately been replaced by Laulala. Drua secure the kickoff and go hot on attack..
37th minute - TRY to Renata
Blues win the lineout and Robinson charges off the back towards the tryline. He's stopped, but Renata eventually barges over.
Barrett converts, BLU 21-10
36th minute - Blues win the lineout and maul to the goal-line, but Drua hold them up again. Williams has them lifting a leg in the maul and warns Nasove for repeated penalties.
Barrett kicks to touch again...
35th minute - Barrett takes a quick tap and kicks across the field to Telea, but the Drua defence has regrouped and scrambles across to stop the try.
After a couple of phases, Telea is over the line, but held up. Williams brings them back for Drua offside and Barrett finds a safe touch this time to ironic applause.
34th minute - Another loose pass has Drua under pressure, but they clear to Barrett, who launches another counterattack. RTS enters the 22 and Williams is playing advantage...
33rd minute - Drua claim the kickoff and run it out of their 22.
32nd minute - Kuruvoli lines up a kick at goal and slots it, BLU 14-10
31st minute - Blues win a lineout on their 22, but Sotutu is penalised for playing the ball in a tackle.
30th minute - Drua throw long to the lineout again and regain the ball. Taliga kicks crossfield to Dolokoto on the wing, but the ball bounces into touch.
29th minute - Better scrum from Drua, who try to break out of their half. They win a clearing penalty.
28th minute - Barrett puts Lam through a midfield gap, but the pass is forward and Williams brings them back for a long advantage.
Laulala has left the field with blood coming from his face - Renata replaces him. Barrett's touchfinder overshoots the corner flag and that's a wasted opportunity.
27th minute - Barrett finds touch near the Drua 10 and Blues win the lineout. Laulala runs off the back of the lineout and Blues are under advantage.
26th minute - Blues feed to a scrum outside their 22 and they try to drive Drua back, winning a penalty, if they need it. Sotutu spills the ball, so the penalty is required.
23rd minute - Drua find touch near the Blues 22, but the throw sails over the lineout. RTS throws a forward pass from his knees, but Williams brings them back for a crooked throw-in.
22nd minute - Drua reclaim the kickoff, but back inside their own half. A bobbled pass has them under pressure, but Laulala is penalised.
19th minute - TRY to Darry
Barrett finds touch inside the 22 and Darry wins the lineout, working a move off the back. Lam makes the initial thrust, then from the ruck, Darry dives over in the corner.
Barrett's sideline conversion sails between the posts, BLU 14-7
18th minute - Blues playing under advantage and RTS tests the midfield defence, but is smashed in a tackle. Williams brings them back for the penalty for not rolling away from the ruck.
17th minute - Drua win the lineout, but Ravouvou is smothered in a tackle and the clearing kick travels only as far as Kneepkens.
16th minute - Tucker wins the lineout and Blues maul towards halfway. Barrett puts Ioane over halfway and Telea threatens down the right sideline, but is again tackled into touch.
15th minute - Another Drua feed to a defensive scrum, which has buckled so far, but not broken. Solid scrum this time and a great clearance from Taliga, finding touch inside the Blues 10.
14th minute - Muntz bursts out of the Drua 22, but Blues defence is up flat and knock on, while trying to steal the ball.
13th minute - Barrett fields a high kick in Drua territory and Telea enters the 22, but he's tackled into touch.
12th minute - Drua will be under pressure at this scrum and clear quickly, with Kuruvoli again kicking from his own goal area. Kneepkens fields the kick, but Drua wrestle the ball back.
11th minute - Blues awarded an attacking penalty and they kick to the corner. They win the lineout and maul towards the goal-line, but the Drua hold them up and win the defensive scrum feed.
Eighth minute - TRY to Dolokoto
Taliga puts a kick ahead, gathered by Samusamuvodre, who draws the final defender and finds his hooker steaming up in support. Try converted by Kuruvoli, 7-7
Seventh minute - Blues secure the kickoff and control for a couple of phases before Funaki pumps a high kick into Drua territory.
Fifth minute - TRY to Lam
Blues win the lineout, but Drua steal it and go on attack outside the 22. As they shift right, a loose pass bounces nicely for Lam, who sprints 60 metres untouched to score first.
Fourth minute - First scrum of the game will be telling and the Drua clear under pressure. Ravouvou is trapped inside his 22, but Drua break out, kicking ahead, before being bundled into touch on the Blues 22 by Ioane.
Second minute - Blues win a lineout outside the Drua 22 and they maul forward, but Funaki spils the ball under pressure.
First minute - Earlier this afternoon, the Drua women won the Australian final over the Waratahs. Can their men draw inspiration from that result?
Paul Williams will referee this encounter, as Barrett kicks off for the Blues...
Kuruvoli puts up a high kick, by Kneepkens claims the high ball on halfway. Blues have the Drua in trouble near their own goal-line and Kuruvoli clears from his own goal area.
*****
Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Super Rugby Pacific clash between the Blues and Fijian Drua at Melbourne's AAMI Park.
With their historic victory over the Crusaders last week and riding a seven-game winning streak, the Auckland side must now be considered favourites to take out the inaugural title under this expanded format, after taking the lightly regarded Trans Tasman crown last year.
They currently top the competition table on a points countback from the Brumbies and their confidence must be at an all-time high, as they prepare to feast on their Aussie counterparts.
The Fijians have just one win to their credit and realistically should not trouble their opponents tonight - but as their sevens colleagues have shown time and again, you should never underestimate their flair and athleticism.
Coach Leon MacDonald has taken the opportunity to rest and rotate, with captain Dalton Papalii, prop Ofa Tuungafasi, hooker Kurt Eklund and fullback Stephen Perofeta among the notables not dressing for this fixture.
But Roger Tuivasa-Sheck makes his return from injury in the midfield, between All Blacks Beauden Barrett - acting captain for this occasion - and Rieko Ioane.
TAB Odds: Blues $1.02, Drua $11
Blues: 1-Jordan Lay, 2-Ricky Riccitelli, 3-Nepo Laulala, 4-James Tucker, 5-Sam Darry, 6-Tom Robinson, 7-Adrian Choat, 8-Hoskins Sotutu, 9-Taufa Funaki, 10-Beauden Barrett, 11-AJ Lam, 12-Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 13-Rieko Ioane, 14-Mark Telea, 15-Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens
Reserves: 16-Sione Vikena, 17-Karl Tu'inukuafe 18-Marcel Renata, 19-Luke Romano, 20-Anton Segner, 21-Lisati Milo-Harris, 22-Tanielu Tele'a, 23-Jock McKenzie
Drua: 1- Meli Tuni, 2-Mesulame Dolokoto, 3-Manasa Saulo, 4-Chris Minimbi, 5-Viliame Rarasea, 6-Meli Derenalagi, 7-Rusiate Nasove, 8-Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta, 9-Peni Matawalu, 10-Simione Kuruvoli, 11-Onisi Ratave, 12-Caleb Muntz, 13-Kalaveti Ravouvou, 14-Tuidraki Samusamuvodre, 15-Kitione Taliga
Reserves: 16-Zuriel Togiatama, 17-Timoci Sauvoli, 18-Jone Koroiduadua, 19-Isoa Nasilasila, 20-Joseva Tamani, 21-Leone Nawai, 22-Jona Mataiciwa, 23-Frank Lomani
Blues star Clarke reveals 'life goal' to make crosscode switch to NRL
Blues wing Caleb Clarke admits he has his sights set on a cross-code switch to the NRL.
Poised to sign a multi-year contract with NZ Rugby, Clarke confesses his immediate goal is to earn a recall to the All Blacks for next year's World Cup, but beyond that, the 23-year-old says he'd be eager to try his hand at the 13-man code.
"That's definitely one thing that I'd love to do," Clarke told AAP. "I'm a big Rabbitohs supporter, and I talk to the Rabbitohs boys every now and then.
"I'd love to and I don't know when, but it'll definitely be something that I want to tick off as a life goal."
Clarke has kept a keen eye on former All Blacks Sevens teammate William Warbrick, who has signed with NRL heavyweights Melbourne Storm.
Warbrick helped the All Blacks Sevens win silver medals at last year's Tokyo Olympics and is now poised to make his first-grade debut with the Storm, which may have taken place against NZ Warriors on Monday, if he hadn't contracted COVID-19.
"I'm really looking forward to Will making his debut," said Clarke, who was a travelling reserve with the Tokyo Olympic team. "He's such an athlete.
"When you see him, he's taller than me, he's stronger than me. A few of the boys were a bit surprised when he told us he'd signed with the Storm, but I was just like, I can see it.
"With his aerial skills, he's fast and strong, he really suits the game of league."
After a breakthrough season with the All Blacks, Clarke set those ambitions aside in a bid to win Olympic gold with the All Blacks Sevens and watching Warbrick chase his dreams has only further inspired him to test his limits.
"He wanted to have a shot at different things and he got to tick off an awesome achievement of playing in the Olympics, and as an athlete, there's not much more you can do," Clarke said. "I'm just really proud of him."
On Saturday, the Blues face Fijian Drua in the first game of their trans-Tasman foray, where they're hot favorites to add to their seven-game Super Rugby Pacific win streak.
With one week remaining on his three-week ban for dangerous contact, Clarke won't feature for the Blues this weekend, but will be available for their next match against the Force.
"We've all talked about how special it is to be in this sort of position and how much we've grown as a team over the last few years under Leon's [MacDonald] coaching," said Clarke.
"It's just been really awesome to just see it all come to fruition and we're excited to get stuck into the Aussie teams."
More to come
