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All Blacks winger Joe Rokocoko scored three minutes from fulltime to give the Blues a vital bonus point in their 26-6 Super 14 win over the Highlanders.
Rokocoko scored the Blues’ final try, clinching a four-try bonus point which lifted them to second place on the ladder at the start of round 10.
The Blues scored their first try, through All Blacks center Isaia Toeava, only 26 seconds from the opening kick-off to lead throughout the match and snap the Highlanders’ three-match winning streak.
“It wasn’t pretty as we would have liked but we got the bonus point and that’s what really mattered,” Blues captain Keven Mealamu said.
“It’s the business time of the competition and it’s important to be winning at this stage.
“We’re still a work in progress and we need to keep getting better.”
The Highlanders were on the back foot after conceding Toeava’s try in the opening minute and never recovered their composure or momentum.
They played out the last 20 minutes of the match with only 14 men when their captain, All Blacks halfback Jimmy Cowan, was sent off in the 60th minute for a late and dangerous tackle.
Toeava put the Blues on top in the match with his try in the opening minute from a midfield break by his All Blacks teammate Rudi Wulf.
Flyhalf Jimmy Gopperth converted Toeava’s try, then scored and converted a try of his own to give the Blues a 14-3 lead after only 10 minutes.
Wulf’s break and quick, long passing created Toeava’s try.
Gopperth’s try in the 10th minute came when he re-directed a lengthy Auckland attack, diving over the top of a goal-line ruck to give his team a significant early lead.
Auckland was unable to build on that lead until the 50th minute when scrumhalf Taniela Moa, returning from a one-week disciplinary suspension, scored a vital try.
Penalties by Matt Berquist in the third minutes of each half had made the score 14-6 but Moa’s try, converted by Gopperth, put Auckland firmly in control.
Both Berquist penalties came from infringements by All Blacks prop Tony Woodcock, who returned to the Auckland front row after a four-week layoff with an ear infection.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.