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Blues 36 Hurricanes 25
Blues - Telea 4, Sotutu & R Ioane tries; Plummer 2 conversions, Perofeta conversion
Hurricanes - Roigard, Proctor & Naholo 2 tries; Barrett penalty & conversion
Fulltime
39th minute - TRY to Telea
Clarke chases the kickoff again and the Blues shift right, where Heem kicks ahead. The Hurricanes defence is in quicksand, as Telea slides and picks up the ball to score.
Perofeta hooks the conversion wide, BLU 36-25
And that's fulltime - no question about who was the star of that game!
37th minute - TRY to Naholo
Blues win a scrum, but again lose the ball in midfield. Proctor gathers the bounce and finds his winger with a backhanded offload.
Naholo slides over in the tackle. Cameron takes over the goalkicking and amazingly misses the conversion, BLU 31-25
36th minute - Blackwell taps the kickoff back for the Hurricanes. Moorby dashes down the left and loses the ball in the tackle.
34th minute - TRY to Rieko Ioane
Blues win a lineout outside the 22 and Heem breaks the defence, finding his midfield partner on his shoulder for a straight run to the posts.
Perofeta converts and that may just do it, BLU 31-20
33rd minute - Clarke chases the kickoff and catches Naholo. BLues have the ball back in their half, Sullivan kicks to Telea, who breaks upfield into the 22.
30th minute - TRY to Naholo
Another push from the Hurricanes and Savea detaches from the back, finding his winger with a long pass that puts Naholo over in the corner. Barrett hooks another kick from the sideline, BLU 24-20
29th minute - Big Hurricanes scrum has penalty advantage, but Savea picks up and drives to the line. There's a knockon, so back for the penalty.
28th minute - Gardner brings them back for the penalty and Savea opts for a scrum in front of the posts.
27th minute - Eklund's throw to the lineout goes astray and Hurricanes have a penalty. Morgan finds touch inside the Blues 22.
Hurricanes win the lineout and pour towards the posts, with penalty advantage.
26th minute - Rayasi has sprained an ankle and the Hurricanes have only reserve halfback Jamie Booth left on the bench.
Blues secure the kickoff and have a penalty. Sullivan finds touch on the Hurricanes 10.
24th minute - TRY to Telea
Blues have an offside advantage and as they move right, the pass is batted down in a tackle. The winger scoops up the loose ball and ducks under a couple of tackles to score his third.
Perofeta hooks his conversion left, BLU 24-15
23rd minute - Tucker wins the lineout and BLues enter the 22. Sulivan slices through and forwards pour into the ruck.
22nd minute - Hurricanes have 10 phases, but they're penalised for incorrect entry to the breakdown. Sullivan finds touch towards the Hurricanes 22.
21st minute - Hurricanes shift left and Proctor almost breaks the line.
20th minute - Christie clears towards halfway. Hurricanes win the lineout...
19th minute - Blues scrum shunted back, but they clear into midfield and the ball goes loose. Clarke has to retreat to smother a kick ahead.
18th minute - Hurricanes bring Mafielo and Franks into the front row. When they shift left from the scrum, the ball goes loose and Blues have a scrum feed.
17th minute - Blues forwards lay seige to the tryline, but Hurricanes steal the ball and Savea kicks downfield. Sullivan spills the bounce to concede a scrum in Blues half... what a change of fortunes.
16th minute - Scrum wheels and Sotutu picks up the ball.
15th minute - Blues win the attacking lineout and maul towards the line. They have penalty advantage... Riccitelli is over the line, but he's crawled there, so Gardner brings them back for the penalty.
14th minute - Plummer kicks to the corner and finds touch. Perofeta comes on at first-five for the Blues, with Plummer departing.
13th minute - Hurricanes lose another lineout, Plummer kicks high for Clarke, who is taken in the air.
12th minute - Clarke chases the kickoff and wins the ball back for the BLues, but it's spilt in midfield and the Hurricanes have a clearing penalty.
NInth minute - TRY to Proctor
From the scrum, Christie spills the ball in midfield and Hurricanes kick ahead. Proctor wins the race to force for a try.
Gardner checks for offside, but replays confirm the try. Barrett sprays another kick at goal, BLU 19-15
Eighth minute - BLues lineout just outside the Hurricanes 22 and they have a free-kick, when Hurricanes close the gap. They opt for a scrum.
Seventh minute - Blues win the lineout and another penalty.
Sixth minute - Hurricanes secure the rebound and have phases inside the 22, before the BLues win a clearing penalty at the breakdown.
Fifth minute - Barrett smacks the upright with his kick and misses again.
Fourth minute - Hurricanes have penalty advantage, but keep the ball in hand, as Kirifi enters the 22. Barrett kicks ahead, Sullivan slides in to smother the threat, but Gardner brings them back for the penalty in front of the posts.
Third minute - Moorby finds space down the left, Rayasi dents the defence in midfield and Moorby almost breaks through.
Second minute - Delany wins a lineout for the HUrricanes. Tuipulotu flattens Kirifi in midfield.
First minute - Sullivan kicks off for the BLues and Roigard kicks high, but Plummer drops it, not forward apparently. Sullivan's crossfield kick is charged down and Hurricanes have the ball in BLues half.
Halftime
40th minute - Hurricanes win a breakdown penalty near halfway and as the halftime siren sounds, Barrett finds touch outside the BLues 22.
Hurricanes win a free-kick at the lineout and opt for a scrum. They win a penalty at the scrum and Savea points to the posts.
Barrett swings his kick left and both teams head to the tunnel for halftime.
39th minute - Blues take the scrum option, Clarke runs one-off, but the ball is lost in midfield.
38th minute - Morgan finds touch towards the 10, but Aumua's throw is again crooked.
37th minute - Sullivan finds touch on the Hurricanes 22. Ioane wins the lineout and the Blues maul forward.
Heem finds space in midfield and the forward surge towards the posts, but Ardie Savea is over the breakdown to win a clearing penalty.
36th minute - From the scrum, Heem busts up midfield and Blues have a penalty at the ruck.
35th minute - Aumua's throw to the lineout isn't straight.
34th minute - Hurricanes secure the kickoff and Blues are caught offside. Morgan finds touch on the BLues 10.
32nd minute - TRY to Roigard
Walker-Leawere breaks a tackle and finds Blackwell running on his shoulder. Roigard is bumped off a support line, but Blackwell stills finds him for the Hurricanes' first try.
Barrett converts, BLU 19-10
31st minute - Jordie Barrett spills the ball in midfield on the BLues 22 and Sullivan clears over halfway, spilled backwards by Moorby.
30th minute - Tuipulotu is lifted high for the kickoff, but he spills the ball forward for a Hurricanes scrum in Blues half.
28th minute - TRY to Telea
BLues win the lineout, but their attack stalls, with a loose pass from Suafoa. Telea takes an offload from the retreating Plummer and spots a gap, sprinting 40 metres to the posts.
27th minute - Hurricanes clear their scrum, but the ball pops free and Sotutu heads towards the posts for his second try. Walker-Leawere knocks the ball loose and Hurricanes clear.
26th minute - Plummer kicks high for Telea again and he beats the Hurricanes for the ball. He's pulled down inside the 22, but Hurricanes have a defensive scrum.
25th minute - Sotutu wins the lineout on halfway and the BLues maul forward.
24th minute - Moorby goes close to a 50-22, but Plummer is there to clear towards halfway. Blues steal another lineout and have penalty advantage.
Clarke chases a kick and Blues opt for a lineout throw upfield.
23rd minute - Roigard puts up a high kick, but Plummer is safe underneath.
22nd minute - Sotutu steals the lineout and when the Blues shift left, Clarke kicks downfield to the Hurricanes 10.
21st minute - Blues secure the kickoff and Christie's kick is pressured by Kirifi. Hurricanes have a lineout near the 22.
19th minute - TRY to Sotutu
Blues forwards have the ball in hand and when the ball shifts right, Sullivan almost finds a way through.
Blues have penalty advantage for offside, but the No.8 plunges over from close range. Plummer leaves his conversion to the right, BLU 12-3
18th minute - Blues steal the Hurricanes lineout throw and build phases. Clarke has space down the left...
17th minute - Clarke smashes into Numia's midfield tackle and the Blues enter Hurricanes half. Plummer kicks high for Telea, but he can't prevent it bouncing into touch.
16th minute - Plummer kicks towards the Hurricanes 22 for an attacking lineout. Suafoa wins the lineout, but Hurricanes turn the ball over.
15th minute - Hurricanes win a lineout on the Blues 10, but they're all standing around in midfield. Blues win a midfield penalty, but Kirifi dashes off, thinking it was Hurricanes ball.
13th minute - Blues control the kickoff, Christie kicks high and Telea chases it down. Sullivan kicks to just outside the Hurricanes 22 - almost another 50-22.
11th minute - TRY to Telea
Blues get scrum penalty advantage, but don't need it, as the big winger takes the first pass and powers over through three tacklers. Plummer slots the conversion, BLU 7-3
10th minute - Big push from the Blues, but Gardner wants a scrum reset.
Ninth minute - Akira Ioane is over a ruck and earns a penalty. Sullivan's kick to the corner doesn't find touch, but Morgan spills the catch near his own goal-line for a Blues scrum.
Eighth minute - Nice kick from Plummer for a 50-22... Blues throw to an attacking lineout. They win the lineout, but Plummer and Heem can't connect in midfield.
Seventh minute - Big scrum from the Blues, Hurricanes clear it, but Morgan knocks on. Sullivan kicks downfield.
Sixth minute - Plummer kicks off flat, but Clarke overruns it and it goes into touch on the full, so Hurricanes scrum on halfway.
Fifth minute - PENALTY to Barrett
From directly in front, Barrett slots the kick, HUR 3-0
Fourth minute - Savea leaves, replaced by Rayasi, as Morgan finds touch on the Blues 22. Hurricanes win the lineout and have a penalty in midfield.
Barrett points to the posts...
Third minute - From the first scrum, Hurricanes shift left and Julian Savea also has shoulder problems.
Hurricanes have penalty advantage on halfway, but Aumua breaks a tackle down the right sideline. A knockon takes play back to midfield for the penalty.
Second minute - Blues cross halfway, but Christie drops the ball. Numia is still struggling, but trots over for the scrum - this will test that shoulder.
First minute - Aussie Angus Gardner will be our referee tonight, as Morgan kicks off for the Hurricanes.
Numia has gone down with a shoulder injury in first contact, as Blues shift the ball left. Plummer puts up a high kick, spilled by Naholo.
7:03pm - After a fine day in Auckland, rain has begun to fall just moments before kickoff.
*****
Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Super Rugby Pacific clash between the Blues and Hurricanes at Auckland's Eden Park.
Last time these two rivals met, the northerners prevailed 25-19 at Wellington in March, but at the business end of the season, this encounter holds added significance, with a home quarter-final on the line.
The Blues currently hold that valued fourth spot on the table, one bonus point clear of the 'Canes, and a bonus-point win would seal that home advantage in the playoffs.
They are missing suspended captain Dalton Papali'i and injured/rested first-five Beauden Barrett, while their opponents are virtually at full strength, with the return of captain Ardie Savea, prop Tyrel Lomax, hooker Asafo Aumua and midfield kingpin Jordie Barrett from All Blacks rest.
Join us at 7pm for kickoff.
TAB Odds: Blues $1.47, Hurricanes $2.70, Draw $18
Blues: 1-Ofa Tuungafasi, 2-Ricky Riccitelli, 3-Nepo Laulala, 4-Patrick Tuipulotu, 5-Cameron Suafoa, 6-Akira Ioane, 7-Adrian Choat, 8-Hoskins Sotutu, 9-Finlay Christie, 10-Harry Plummer, 11-Caleb Clarke, 12-Bryce Heem, 13-Rieko Ioane, 14-Mark Telea, 15-Zarn Sullivan
Reserves: 16-Kurt Eklund, 17-Jordan Lay, 18-Marcel Renata, 19-James Tucker, 20-Anton Segner, 21-Sam Nock, 22-Stephen Perofeta, 23-AJ Lam/Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens
Hurricanes: 1-Xavier Numia, 2-Asafo Aumua, 3-Tyrel Lomax, 4-James Blackwell, 5-Isaia Walker-Leawere, 6-Caleb Delany, 7-Du'Plessis Kirifi, 8-Ardie Savea (c), 9-Cam Roigard, 10-Aidan Morgan, 11-Kini Naholo, 12-Jordie Barrett, 13-Billy Proctor, 14-Julian Savea, 15-Josh Moorby
Reserves: 16-Hame Faiva, 17-Tevita Mafileo, 18-Owen Franks, 19-Justin Sangster, 20-Brayden Iose, 21-Jamie Booth, 22-Brett Cameron, 23-Salesi Rayasi
'Like a box of daisies': Blues' Ioane appreciative of All Blacks rest week
While many have taken issue with the All Blacks' enforced rest imposed on Super Rugby teams, Blues centre Rieko Ioane appreciates the extra rest afforded to him and his teammates.
As part of the preparation to keep All Blacks fresh for this year's Rugby World Cup, players who have played a test in the last 12 months can play no more than five consecutive matches in Super Rugby Pacific.
While troublesome for coaches, the rest weeks mean players do not have any involvement with their team for the entire week.
The orders haven't been well received by fans and some commentators, lamenting the best players not allowed to play at a time when the competition fights for relevance.
Some clubs have bent the rules, with the Crusaders and Chiefs granted special clearance to field Scott Barrett and Samisoni Taukei'aho for sixth games.
For Ioane, who was babysitting his younger siblings, while brother Akira and the Blues defeated the Reds at Brisbane, any frustration takes a backseat to the greater good.
"I would have been happy to play," he said. "I still sort of feel that way, but it's more after the fact.
"Coming back in this week, you're refreshed and you want to go again. There were some boys here who were a bit sore on Monday - I'm coming in like a box of daisies.
"I can see the importance of them. Even standing here now, I'm feeling really good leading into Saturday.
"I definitely feel a lot better."
Now back in training, Ioane will return for the Blues this weekend, when they host the Hurricanes at Eden Park.
Likewise, the Hurricanes welcome back captain Ardie Savea, Jordie Barrett and Tyrel Lomax, who all missed last week's defeat to the Chiefs.
