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Blues 71 Rebels 28
Blues - A Ioane 2, R Ioane 3, Perofeta, Telea, Sotutu, Tucker, Clarke & Christie tries, Perofeta 8 conversions
Rebels - Fa'amausili, Wilkin, Hodge & Canham tries, Hodge 4 conversions
Fulltime
40th minute - Eventually. the Blues are caught offside and Hodge kicks to the corner for an attacking lineout.
TRY to Hodge
From the lineout, Gordon angles a kick across the field and Hodge runs onto it to score. Hodge converts his own try to finish the game, BLU 71-28
39th minute - Rebels surge into Blues half, but can't find a way through the Blues defence.
36th minute - TRY to Clarke
Wilkin claims the kickoff and is almost dumped by his own lifters. Blues recover the loose ball and surge into the 22, where RTS provides the final pass to his winger.
Perofeta misses his conversion, BLU 71-21
34th minute - Gordon's kick to the corner doesn't find touch and Perofeta clears his 22.
TRY to Wilkin
A loose pass causes some hesitation in the Blues defence, Rebels regather and Wilkins runs the support line to score. That's the proverbial consolation try, which Hodge converts BLU 66-21
33rd minute - Rebels make ground down the right touchline, but RTS makes an important tackle and Rebels come back for a ruck penalty.
32nd minute - From the lineout, Clarke claims the bouncing ball and Blues shift right, but Tu'inukuafe is penalised for an illegal cleanout at the ruck.
31st minute - Blues concede a free-kick for baulking at the lineout. Gordon clears and they'll go again from outside the 22.
30th minute - RTS takes on Elhoff and his forwards get in behind, driving him to the tryline. He's held up, but Blues are playing advantage.
29th minute - Rieko has now left the field, replaced by AJ Lam. Perofeta kicks to the corner and Choat wins the lineout.
28th minute - Rebels win their lineout and Gordon clears inside Blues half.
Clarke makes another break down the left and Blues are playing advantage.
27th minute - Out right, Sotutu hacks ahead again and the ball bounces into touch on the Rebels 22.
26th minute - Another big scrum from the Blues pushes the Rebels off their feed, and the Blues have a penalty they don't need.
25th minute - Clarke claims the kickoff and makes a half-break, but the ball slips from his grasp.
23rd minute - TRY R Ioane
My mistake, Rieko is still out there and from the lineout, Perofeta finds him running at full speed up the middle. No-one can stop him.
Perofeta hooks his conversion, BLU 66-14
22nd minute - Big Blues scrum overpowers their counterparts and they win a clearing penalty. Perofeta kicks for touch, but slips and is lucky to still find the line on the Rebels 10.
20th minute - Rebels enter the Blues 22 and Gordon puts a kick ahead, but knock-ons both ways, so Cooper brings them back for a Rebels scrum.
18th minute - TRY to Perofeta
Heem recovers a loose ball and surges upfield. He pops up again to provide the try assist to Perofeta in the corner.
Officials review a possible knock-on, but it's clearly a strip, so try stands. Perofeta converts from wide, BLU 61-14
17th minute - When the Blues move the ball right, Sotutu puts a kick ahead for Telea, but the ball bounces into touch near the corner flag.
Both Ioane brothers have been subbed off, so that's the end of their tryscoring feats tonight.
16th minute - Rebels win a lineout outside the Blues 22 and surge towards the tryline. A short pass goes astray and Clarke makes halfway on the counterattack.
15th minute - RTS steps about three defenders near the left touchline, as the Blues mount another attack from their half. Akira Ioane is penalised for not releasing the ball in a tackle.
14th minute - Rebels claim the kickoff, but a big tackle from Telea means they're backpedalling.
11th minute - TRY to R Ioane
From a scrum, Rebels shift left, but the ball goes loose and Akira Ioane surges into the Rebels 22. Blues put the ball left, nice offload from RTS and Rieko has his second to match his brother.
Ioane moves into second among Blues tryscorers, passing Joeli Vidiri and behind only Doug Howlett, while the Blues have 50. Perofeta converts from out wide, BLU 54-14
10th minute - From a lineout, Sotutu makes meters and Blues forwards drive towards halfway. Sullivan's pass to Clarke goes astray.
Ninth minute - Rebels kick the ball away in Blues half.
Seventh minute - Blues win the lineout, but their clearance can't clear their own half. Rebels win the lineout, but Robinson drives them back in a tackle and as the Blues shift the ball left, Clarke can't quite gather a high pass.
Sixth minute - Rebels shift the ball left, but Sullivan is there to tackle the last man into touch.
Fifth minute - Canham wins the lineout and Rebels maul towards the tryline.
Fourth minute - Hodge drills his touchfinder towards the corner.
Third minute - Kellaway puts a high kick into Blues half, but Christie rises high to claim it. Kellaway is subbed off.
Rebels feed to a scrum on the Blues 10 and they win a penalty.
First minute - Gordon kicks off, covered by RTS and cleared by Christie.
Rebels win the lineout, but driven back in midfield by Eklund. Kellaway kicks ahead, but Sullivan relieves pressure.
Halftime
39th minute - TRY to Telea
Credit Tuungafasi for that try... he makes the initial break towards halfway, before offloading to Eklund. As the ball goes right and Rieko Ioane puts Teles over in the corner with an acrobatic dive. Perofeta can't convert that, BLU 47-14
36th minute - TRY to R Ioane
Rieko Ioane receives the ball in his own half and when he looks left to Sullivan, he stays in support for the return pass to score. Perofeta can't miss tonight, BLU 42-14
35th minute - Rebels kick into Blues half and Worth chases, but knocks on.
34th minute - From the kickoff, Perofeta chips back into Rebels half and Blues counter-ruck to regain possession. Sotutu is rocked in a tackle and Rebels regain the ball.
31st minute - TRY to Sotutu
Papalii wins the lineout and the Blues maul to the line. Ioane is stopped just short of his hat-trick, but Sotutu picks up and dives over. That's the bonus-point try and Perofeta continues his perfect kicking, BLU 35-14
30th minute - Blues continue to rumble towards the 22 and eventually win a penalty for offside. Perofeta kicks to the corner...
29th minute - Rebels win the lineout, but Gordon's clearance just gives the Blues another attacking chance. RTS bursts over halfway and offloads...
28th minute - Rebels claim a high kick in Blues half and try to build something, but eventually kick and Perofeta drives them back into their own half.
27th minute - Rebels win the kickoff, but Blues forwards drive them over the sideline.
24th minute - TRY to Tucker
Clarke claims the kickoff in his own half and bursts upfield as far as the Rebels 22. When the ball shifts right, Telea finds Tucker running support inside and the lock slides across to score. Blues really starting to open up here...
Perofeta finds his mark from the sideline again, BLU 28-14
22nd minute - TRY to Christie
From a period of sustained continuity, Perofeta takes a half gap, offloads to Tuungafasi, who finds Akira Ioane and Christies runs the ideal support line under the posts. Perofeta converts from in front, BLU 21-14
21st minute - Blues win a lineout and rumble forward.
20th minute - Rebels win a lineout in their own half, but their backline can't reach the advantage line.
19th minute - Blues win the lineout and pout towards the posts, but Rebels steal the ball at the breakdown and win a clearing penalty for not releasing.
18th minute - Rebels pour into the Blues half, but spill the ball and Sullivan kicks towards the Rebels 22. Hodges takes the ball back into the 22 and puts his kick into touch on the full for a Blues lineout.
17th minute - Rebels win a lineout on halfway, but they're mauled backwards and have to release the ball.
16th minute - Sotutu kicks through and Tuivasa-Sheck is penalised for a high tackle on a player going to ground. No cards for that.
15th minute - Perofeta takes a high kick from Hodge and Sullivan kicks deep towards the Rebels right corner.
13th minute - TRY to A Ioane
Tucker wins the lineout and the Blues maul to the goal-line, where Ioane uses his strength to plunge over. Perofeta slots the conversion, 14-14
12th minute - Blues win a penalty inside the Rebels 22 and Perofeta kicks to the corner.
11th minute - Blues win the lineout and maul, before Sotutu bursts to the 22.
10th minute - Blues have the ball ripped away just outside their 22, but the pass bounces off an unsuspecting Rebels player and Christie has the feed to the scrum.
Blues win a penalty at the first scrum of the game and Perofeat finds touch on the Rebels 10.
Seventh minute - Horrible start from the Blues, who now need to score next - already.
TRY to A Ioane
Eklund bursts from a ruck and into the Rebels 22, finding support from Tucker. When the ball shifts right, Ioane plunges over in the corner.
Perofeta converts from the sideline, REB 14-7
Fifth minute - TRY to Canham
Blues win a lineout and Christie throws a long, blind pass that is plucked out of the air by the Rebels lock streaming through. He canters away for a try and Hodge converts, REB 14-0
Fourth minute - Blues are caught offside in Rebels half, but Hodge's touchfinder doesn't reach its mark and Sullivan's return is out in the Rebels half.
Second minute - TRY to Fa'amausili
Blues make a hash of their lineout throw and the Rebels snaffle the ball. Hansen goes close and at second dig, Fa'amausili reaches out to plant next to the posts. Hodge converts, REB 7-0
First minute - A good crowd of 15,000 at Eden Park for tonight's game, with Graham Cooper the referee. Perofeta kicks off for the Blues.
Sullivan can't claim a high kick and the Rebels are on the front foot early, with a lineout five metres from the tryline.
*****
Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Super Rugby Pacific clash between the Blues and Melbourne Rebels at Auckland's Eden Park.
The home side find themselves in the highly unusual position of shooting for their 10th consecutive win - only two shy of their record set in 1997.
Since toppling archrivals Crusaders in Christchurch last month, their form has been shaky to say the least, struggling to get on top of Fijian Drua in the 'Super Round' and then barely holding off Western Force last week.
They'll seek a much more assured performance in front of their home fans tonight, but need to achieve that without kingpin Beauden Barrett at first-five, as he takes an All Blacks-mandated rest week.
TAB Odds: Blues $1.04, Rebels $7.50
Blues: 1-Jordan Lay, 2-Kurt Eklund, 3-Ofa Tuungafasi, 4-James Tucker, 5-Tom Robinson, 6-Akira Ioane, 7-Dalton Papalii, 8-Hoskins Sotutu, 9-Finlay Christie, 10-Stephen Perofeta, 11-Caleb Clarke, 12-Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 13-Rieko Ioane, 14-Mark Telea, 15-Zarn Sullivan
Reserves: 16-Soane Vikena, 17-Karl Tu'inukuage, 18-Nepo Laulala, 19-Sam Darry, 20-Adrian Choat, 21-Sam Nock, 22-Bryce Heem, 23-AJ Lam
Rebels: 1-Matt Gibbon, 2-James Hanson, 3-Pone Fa'amausili, 4-Matt Philip, 5-Josh Canham, 6-Brad Wilkin, 7-Richard Hardwick, 8-Rob Leota, 9-Joe Powell, 10-Carter Gordon, 11-George Worth, 12-Stacey Ili, 13-Lukas Ripley, 14-Andrew Kellaway, 15-Reece Hodge
Reserves: 16-Efi Ma'afu, 17-Cameron Orr, 18-Cabous Eloff, 19-Daniel Maiava, 20-Tamati Ioane, 21-Moses Sorovi, 22-Nick Jooste, 23-Glen Vaihu
Tuivasa-Sheck 'getting better and better' in Blues Super Rugby charge
By Alex Powell
The Blues are preparing to reap the rewards of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck's return to rugby union, after the midfielder's best performance of the season in last week's victory over Western Force.
After a disrupted return from NZ Warriors and rugby league, Tuivasa-Sheck could be forgiven for any frustration at his limited opportunities back in the 15-man code.
An NPC campaign to ease the 28-year-old into rugby was wiped away, as Auckland went into COVID-19 lockdown last year, before a shoulder injury hampered his start to this year's Super Rugby Pacific season.
But now fit again and appearing more comfortable in the No.12 jersey, Tuivasa-Sheck is beginning to repay the faith shown in him by the Blues.
Playing all 80 minutes of their 22-18 victory last Friday, he showcased exactly why Sir John Kirwan has called for his inclusion in Ian Foster's All Blacks plans.
On attack, Tuivasa-Sheck made six runs for a team-high 45 metres and created one try assist, winning two turnovers and making 11 tackles on defence.
For assistant coach Dan Halangahu, Tuivasa-Sheck's display against the Force is only a sign of what's to come, as he relearns the game he played as a schoolboy.
"Roger is just getting better with more time in the saddle," Halangahu said. "Obviously with a big transition, we're trying to make it really simple for Roger around one or two decisions he's making.
"When he has that clarity, we know he's a world class athlete. We're trying to put him in positions where decisions are simple and he can execute.
"We're also seeing the defensive side of the game is an area where he's been working really hard. That's where we saw probably his best game as well.
"We know it's not a complete game just yet from Roger, but he's got that magic touch on the edge that can unpick things that other players can't do."
While Tuivasa-Sheck's move back to rugby union largely revolves around the All Blacks' attempt at winning next year's World Cup in France, the Blues are looking beyond 2023.
Regardless of whether he becomes an All Black, Halangahu added Tuivasa-Sheck has an important role to play at the Blues, as they bid to re-establish themselves as New Zealand's strongest Super Rugby side.
"We're here for long-term success with Roger. It's not about him being the best player on the field at the moment, even though many people think he is.
"It's about where is Roger continuing to grow his game, so that over the next few years, he's a huge asset to this team."
Tuivasa-Sheck will again start for the Blues, when they host Melbourne Rebels at Eden Park on Friday.
