- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
The Blues have drawn first blood in 2017 Super Rugby, prevailing over a prematurely undermanned Rebels side in Melbourne, 56-18.
Played in pristine pitch and overhead conditions, both sides showed early season rustiness, but the class and physicality of the Blues shone through the longer the game went on; bigger bodies and more pace to convert half breaks into tries a telling difference between the sides.
The first try of the season actually went to the Rebels, and it was a cracker, Nick Stirzaker following up a break down the right-hand side to weave over, although his night took a backwards turn soon after when he left the field and failed a concussion test.
The Rebels stayed in the match throughout the first half, until right on halftime, a careless pass by Jordie Reid gifted Rieko Ioane the first of his three tries, and that opened up a gap which only got wider from there in.
In total the Blues scored seven tries, six of them converted by Ihaia West who had the ball singing off the tee in the second half.
Rieko Ioane was a clear standout – power, pace and rugby smarts suggesting a long future at the top level. Others to have good games included Tim Nanai, and Steven Luatua who came into the game more and more in the 2nd half.
As for the Rebels, they started with plenty of endeavour, but the defensive intensity dropped off and they were heavily punished for it. Reece Hodge for one will rue his one on one miss for Ioane’s second try.
The Rebel’s kicking game will need a lot of attention; too loose, and too many times also, they failed to tidy up kicks from the Blues. Ditto the lineout; they were unable to convert field position into concerted pressure as a result of too many costly turnovers.
On the positive side, Jack Maddocks did some good things on debut, as did Tom English alongside him.
But already there are danger signs, and they will keenly await the return of some of their first choice players before the season gets away from them.
As for the Blues, how good were they, or was it a case of the Rebels making them look better? Probably a bit of both. Certainly this is a vastly superior Blues team compared to recent times; the depth off the bench is impressive, and there are still big names waiting in the wings.
They were particularly potent in the loose forwards, and out wide, but also have a solid set-piece. Tana Umaga won’t be getting ahead of things but surely, off the back of this performance, and the potential in his squad, he must be eyeing off finals as a minimum.
In summary, a disappointing night for the Melbourne crowd of 10,250, and a lot of work for the Rebels to deliver on their off-season promise.
Blues fans, having suffered many disappointments in recent years, will be telling themselves not to get ahead of things. But with players like Rieko Ioane running around with free abandon, it will be all they can do not to dream of bigger things this season.