App users click here for latest updates
Hurricanes 19 Blues 25
Hurricanes - Lomax, Moorby & Rayasi tries; Barrett 2 conversions
Blues - Tuipulotu, Sotutu & Clarke tries; Perofeta 2 penalties & 2 conversions
Fulltime
40th minute - Big scrum from the Hurricanes wins a penalty about seven metres out. Surely a lineout drive...
No, Aumua will tap. Booth releases left, but Proctor cuts back towards the posts.
Penalty advantage to Hurricanes, Jordie kicks to the tryline, hooter sounds... Berry brings them back and Hurricanes take a scrum with time up.
Lakai bursts off the scrum, Blues hold him up and counter-ruck. They clear to Beauden, who kicks the ball dead to end the game.
39th minute - After several phases, Hurricanes knock on, so Blues have a defensive scrum. Good discipline from the Blues.
38th minute - Tackling practice for the BLues and Hurricanes can't find a way through. Aumua goes close.
37th minute - Delany wins the lineout, but Blues hold up the maul. Aumua peels off and Hurricanes shift left.
36th minute - Jordie's kick is not great, Hurricanes win the lineout, but they're too far out to maul and Sotutu steals the ball at the ruck. Blues clear.
35th minute - Hurricanes win a lineout on the BLues 10 and Savea bursts towards the 22. They have penalty advantage and Berry brings them back... Jordie kicks to the corner.
34th minute - Funaki is on for Christie and feeds the scrum. Sotutu runs shortside and enters Hurricanes half, but concedes a penalty at the ruck.
33rd minute - Beauden fields the kickoff and clears to the BLues 10.
Hurricanes win the lineout and mount an attack, but they knock on.
32nd minute - Perofeta slots the penalty, BLU 25-19
30th minute - From a ruck, Christie breaks up the sideline and finds Heem, who enters the 22. BLues win a penalty in front of the posts - three points, surely.
29th minute - Beauden kicks high again, Cameron claims, but he's escorted into touch by Papalii and Choat.
Another terrible BLues lineout, but Beauden breaks upfield and kicks ahead.
28th minute - Hurricanes win yet another Blues throw-in and Cameron kicks high for Rayasi to chase. Perofeta claims the catch and breaks upfield.
27th minute - Blues come left and Perofeta finds Heem. They enter the 22, but Blackwell dives on a loose ball and Booth clears.
26th minute - From the midfield scrum, Clarke takes on the defence and Christie darts.
25th minute - Blues lineout is disintegrating, but they retain the ball, when the Hurricanes knock on.
24th minute - Beauden kicks downfield and Moorby controls with the foot. Savea bursts upfield, where Rayasi and Howden carry on the move, but Ioane wins a penalty at the ruck.
23rd minute - Hurricanes shift left, where Lakai has a run. Booth spills the ball under pressure and Papalii pounces.
22nd minute - Hurricanes steal another lineout and enter the Blues 22.
21st minute - Hurricanes steal the lineout throw and eventually Moorby finds a good touch near the Blues 10.
20th minute - Heem replaces RTS. Hurricanes clear the scrum and Lam kicks back into the 22.
Cameron's clearance just clears the 22.
19th minute - Christie is through on counterpart Roigard and Blues kick deep. Cameron clears, but Blues have a lineout near the 22.
18th minute - Kirifi is clutching his back and replays show Laulala fell into contact on the ground. Kirifi is back up and stretching.
Blackwell wins a lineout in Blues territory and Hurricanes shift left.
17th minute - BLues enter the 22, but they're off their feet at the ruck and are penalised.
16th minute - Cameron drops out long and Sotutu runs hard up centrefield. Blues drive towards the 22.
15th minute - Beauden searches for a way through and the Blues are at the Hurricanes 22.
The ball goes loose, Blues regather and Sotutu puts a kick to the tryline, which Moorby has to force.
14th minute - Beauden claims a high kick from Roigard and Blues cross halfway. Beauden kicks high again and RTS claims it.
13th minute - Eklund is newly on the field for the Blues, but his throw is stolen and Cameron clears.
Beauden puts up a high kick for his winger to chase, but Rayasi leaps hight to claim the ball.
12th minute - Berry has stopped to review for fourl play by the Hurricanes. Hodgman is cleared and lifted beyond the horizontal by Walker-Leawere and Lakai.
Berry rules just a penalty and Beauden kicks to the corner. BLues need to score here...
11th minute - BLues kick off and momentum has changed. Kirifi bursts away with the ball. Blues turn the ball over, but Ioane's pass is wide of Clarke and into touch.
10th minute - TRY to Moorby
Hurricanes win the lineout and Savea runs hard at the defence. Lakai bursts clear and Moorby carries on the move.
Somehow, Rayasi keeps the ball in play and Flanders pops up a pass to Moorby, but the fullback apears to lose the ball as he reaches towards the line.. and then he doesn't seem to reach the line. Berry is happy to award the try.
Ninth minute - Hodgman replaces Fusitua in the Blues front row. Hurricanes control the kickoff and Riogard kicks long.
Seventh minute - TRY to Rayasi
Roigard makes a halfbreak and when he is collared, he finds Rayasi, who slices to the tryline. Try is awarded and Berry is reviewing the build-up for foul play.
Suafoa is shown yellow for head contact, but that may yet be upgraded to red.
JOrdie converts, BLU 22-12
Sixth minute - Suafoa wins the lineout at the back, but Numia steals the ball and Cameron clears. Perofeta kicks high to halfway, but Aumua catches and Hurricanes storm towards the 22.
Fifth minute - Aumua's throw is astray and the BLues break out of their 22. They win a penalty and Perofeta kicks to touch near the Hurricanes 22.
Fourth minute - Hurricanes have penalty advantage on the Blues 10 and Rayasi storms left, putting Jordie away. He's dragged into touch by Christie.
Blues win the lineout and Christie eventually clears towards the 22.
Third minute - Beauden tries to clear, but finds touch on the full outside his 22 - a bad mistake.
Second minute - Hurricanes still building phases, but haven't entered the 22 and Walker Leawere spills the ball, kicked ahead by Ioane.
Hurricanes clear, but Blues have the ball in hand again.
First minute - Blues have scored two tries, while Walker-Leawere has been in the sin bin. He's back on the field to start the second half, but Aumua has replaced Coles at hooker.
From the kickoff, Hurricanes have a lineout outside the BLues 22.
Halftime
40th minute - TRY to Sotutu
Lay tries to sidestep his way to the line and when the Blues go right, Sotutu is brought down short, but reaches out to ground on the tryline. Berry is worried he's knocked on, but replays can't substantiate that, so try stands.
Perofeta converts, BLU 22-5
Hurricanes kick off, Blues control and Christie kicks to touch to end the half.
39th minute - Savea loses the ball off his head and Blues surge upfield, with Ioane making metres into the 22.
38th minute - Clarke controls the kickoff and bumps off a tackler. RTS surges into the defence.
37th minute - TRY to Clarke
Blues shift left, but Proctor is up quickly on RTS. The ball is popped up and Perofeta finds Clarke with a cutout pass that gives him the space he needs.
Perofeta leaves his conversion right, BLU 15-5
36th minute - From the scrum, Sotutu finds Christie and the ball goes to the backs.
They come back left, but Clarke is tackled by Cameron.
35th minute - Blues scrum feed about seven metres out from the tryline.
34th minute - Christie releases the ball to the backs, but it's untidy and he gets shoved backwards. RTS tries to tidy things up, but there's a knock on by the Hurricanes.
33rd minute - Tucker wins the lineout and Blues maul towards the tryline.
32nd minute - Tucker wins a lineout on halfway and the Blues have another penalty advantage. Berry shows a yellow card to Walker-Leawere for playing the ball on the ground.
31st minute - From the kickoff, Sotutu barges over halfway. Blues lose ground and then shift left, where Robinson gallops up the sideline.
30th minute - Perofeta's kick drifts left.
29th minute - Hurricanes are penalised in midfield and Papalii points to the posts.
28th minute - From the kickoff, Cameron clears his 22, but Blues counterattack back into the Hurricanes half.
26th minute - Hurricanes have another advantage and Roigard is held up near the line. Another advantage to Hurricanes...
TRY to Lomax
Hurricanes are camped on the tryline and Coles releases the ball right, where Lomax spins through a space to score. Jordie's conversion attempt bounces off the posts from close range, BLU 10-5
25th minute - Tuipulotu is gone, replaced by Tucker - a big loss. Hurricanes win the lineout and surge towards the posts.
24th minute - Hurricanes have penalty advantage, but go several phases, before Berry brings them back. Cameron kicks into the 22.
23rd minute - Cameron finds touch near the Blues 10 and Blackwell wins at the back of the lineout. Savea tidies up a loose pass and brushes off RTS' tackle.
22nd minute - Clarke claims the kickoff and Beauden kicks high, but Rayasi is safe this time. Hurricanes try to power their way to halfway, but they have a penalty.
19th minute - TRY to Tuipulotu
Tuipulotu wins the lineout and Blues forwards surge to the tryline, where Tuipulotu has the ball again to score. He gets up a bit ginger.
Perofeta converts from in front, BLU 10-0
18th minute - Scrum collapses and awards a penalty to the Blues. Beauden finds touch towards the Hurricanes 22.
Blues win the lineout, RTS crashes midfield and Blues have a penalty in front of the posts. Beauden kicks to the corner.
15th minute - Hurricanes shift left from the scrum and Rayasi kicks ahead, but too far. Blues have a scrum near their 10.
14th minute - Berry corrects himself and awards the scrum feed to Hurricanes. Blues go early, Berry gives Hurricanes a free-kick, but they want another scrum.
13th minute - Blues have an attacking scrum inside Hurricanes half and Perofeat makes a break in midfield, but Lam's infield pass goes astray.
Hurricanes shift right, where Coles and Julian Savea combine. Savea tries to clear, but ref Nic Berry rules it went into a teammate - replays show it didn't.
11th minute - Tuipulotu claims the kickoff and Beauden puts up a high kick, spilt by Rayasi. Blues onto the attack.
10th minute - Perofeta slots the penalty to open scoring, BLU 3-0
Ninth minute - Blues field the Hurricanes dropout and win an offside penalty - similar position to the last one. Perofeta will have this shot at goal, Beauden not feeling it tonight.
Seventh minute - Tuipulotu wins the lineout, but the ball is loose. Hurricanes are penalised for interferring with the jumper and Beauden Barrett will shoot for goal.
The kick drifts wide.
Sixth minute - Cameron clears from the scrum and finds touch towards the 10.
Fifth minute - From the scrum, Lam runs hard, but the Blues knock on.
Fourth minute - Beauden kicks to the Hurricanes 22 and Roigard knocks on at the ruck, so Blues have an attacking scrum.
Third minute - Hurricanes win the lineout and Roigard kicks downfield, where Beauden Barrett soars high. Blues win a penalty in midfield, when Jordie Barrett strips RTS in the ruck.
Second minute - Tuipulotu is driven in to the 22, as Blues build phases, but the Hurricanes win a clearing penalty at the breakdown.
First minute - Blues kick off and Proctor steadies, before Cameron clears.
Suafoa wins the lineout and the Blues maul to the 22.
*****
Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Super Rugby Pacific clash between the Hurricanes and Blues at Wellington's Sky Stadium.
The Hurricanes enter the third weekend of this year's competition unbeaten, after accounting for Queensland Reds and Melbourne Rebels, but will face their first local derby without the services of captain Ardie Savea, suspended for an unsportsmanlike gesture during last week's 'Super Round'.
The home side are already comparatively inexperienced and can't afford to lose someone of Savea's status without consequences. Hooker Dane Coles will stand in as skipper, but - ironically - he was responsible for sparking the scuffle that resulted in Savea's ban.
Meanwhile, the Blues - heavily favoured to challenge for the Super Rugby crown this season - suffered an early setback against ACT Brumbies and will want to bounce back quickly.
They present a very similar line-up to last week, with AJ Lam replacing Mark Telea on the wing, after the latter suffered a concussion.
TAB Odds: Blues $1.50, Hurricanes $2.70, draw $18
Hurricanes: 1-Xavier Numia, 2-Dane Coles, 3-Tyrel Lomax, 4-James Blackwell, 5-Isaia Walker-Leawere, 6-Devan Flanders, 7-Du'Plessis Kirifi, 8-Peter Lakai, 9-Cameron Roigard, 10-Brett Cameron, 11-Salesi Rayasi, 12-Jordie Barrett, 13-Billy Proctor, 14-Julian Savea, 15-Josh Moorby
Reserves: 16-Asafo Aumua, 17-Pouri Rakete-Stones, 18-Pasilio Tosi, 19-Caleb Delany, 20-TK Howden, 21-Jamie Booth, 22-Aidan Morgan, 23-Riley Higgins
Blues: 1-Joshua Fusitu’a, 2-Ricky Riccitelli, 3-James Lay, 4-Patrick Tuipulotu, 5-Cameron Suafoa, 6-Tom Robinson/Adrian Choat, 7-Dalton Papali'i, 8-Hoskins Sotutu, 9-Finlay Christie, 10-Beauden Barrett, 11-Caleb Clarke, 12-Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 13-Rieko Ioane, 14-AJ Lam, 15-Stephen Perofeta
Reserves: 16-Kurt Eklund, 17-Alex Hodgman, 18-Nelp Laulala, 19-James Tucker, 20-Adrian Choat, 21-Taufa Funaki, 22-Bryce Heem, 23-Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens
Savea's throat-slitting gesture suspension won't count towards All Blacks rest
Hurricanes captain Ardie Savea's Super Rugby Pacific ban won't count towards his All Blacks-enforced rest.
Savea, 29, will miss Saturday's encounter against the Blues, after he was given a one-week suspension for a throat-slitting gesture against Melbourne Rebels.
The influential No.8 faced the prospect of a two-week ban, but judicial committee chairman Nigel Hampton KC said Savea's gesture didn't reach the threshold of a red card.
Despite losing their captain, the Hurricanes won't look to use the week as one of Savea's designated stand-downs.
This year, All Blacks playing Super Rugby are again subject to rules that limit their involvement, as a means of keeping them physically and mentally fresh for this year's World Cup in France.
Players' involvement week to week is limited to a certain number of games, before they are required to sit out of rugby altogether.
However, with such a big occasion on the horizon, Savea will not stay away from the Hurricanes this week and will actively help his teammates prepare to face the Blues, coach Jason Holland confirms.
"Part of the All Black rest is that the boys get out of the environment," said Holland. "It's really important to Ardie, especially talking to him this morning, that he helps this group prepare for the Blues in the weekend.
"He'll be in and he'll be doing everything he possibly can to get the group ready for the Blues in the weekend.
"We'll look at the possibility of a rest later in the rounds. I don't see this as an opportunity to use up one of his All Blacks rest - I see this as an opportunity for Ards to help the group get ready to play the Blues."
While the Hurricanes accept Savea's punishment, Holland adds the incident against the Rebels doesn't change his standing within the side.
As team captain, Holland says Savea should have known better than to make the gesture towards the opposition, but understands that players - even leaders - make mistakes.
"He is an example for the rest of the team," he added. "Every other minute, I've seen him be a really, really good example for the rest of the team.
"He continues to be that and was that just after the incident happened.
"Like all of us, you can be a pretty special captain and special leader, and make a mistake. That's what's happened with Ards, with a bit of adrenaline going.
"I don't think there's anyone who doesn't make mistakes, and that's what's happened to today for someone who is a great leader and great inspiration to our boys."
Savea's absence leaves a huge hole both, on and off the field, for the Hurricanes to fill.
The All Blacks star is one of few players to command a guaranteed Super Rugby starting position each week, but will now have to be replaced.
Outstanding Wellington loose forward Peter Lakai looms as a likely replacement, after a breakout season in the NPC last year, but Holland is giving nothing away on who'll come into the side in Savea's place.
"When you lose an All Black and someone who's a massive part of our team like that, it's always a blow.
"We'll finalise who plays [against the Blues], but we've got some pretty awesome loosies. There'll be a combination of guys off the bench and young guys with something to prove in there.
"Hopefully, that makes up for a bit of what Ardie would have offered."
