The Blues have taken another win in this Super Rugby season, betting the Waratahs by seven points on Saturday night.
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Final score
Waratahs 33
Blues 40
The Waratahs continue their fight to chase down the Brumbies at the top of the Australian Conference as they play host to a struggling Blues outfit in Sydney. Join The Roar from 7:45pm (AEST) for all the live scores, highlights and action.
The Tahs are fresh off a thrilling three-point win over the Reds last week up in Brisbane, with the right boot of Bernard Foley overturning four tries to one deficit on the scoreboard.
Despite the win, the side from New South Wales has had a testing season as they struggle to find consistency and form in the midst of a shocking season for Australian rugby.
They’re sitting just behind the Brumbies in the Australian Conference but will need to take that top spot if they want to play finals later in the year due to the sheer dominance of New Zealand teams in 2017.
Speaking of. While the Crusaders are still undefeated and the Chiefs and Hurricanes power their way through nearly every opponent, the poor Blues have been stuck at the bottom of the barrel in the New Zealand Conference.
They have four wins to the Waratahs three but still find themselves fighting an uphill battle to make the finals, sitting 10 points behind the Highlanders and contention.
They’re also coming in off a win, having snuck past the Brumbies in Canberra last week thanks to a Melani Nanai try with a touch over ten minutes on the clock to give them an 18-12 victory.
This will be the second week of their short tour of Australia before heading over to South Africa to face the Cheetahs.
The Waratahs will be out to end the kiwi drought in 2017, with no Australian side yet to win a single game against their neighbours from across the ditch this season.
The last time these two met was back in Round 17 of last year when the Blues got up in a tight and entertaining 34-28 contest in New Zealand.
The last time they met at Allianz however, the Tahs got the job done, winning 23-11 back in 2015.
Team News
For the Waratahs, hooker Tolu Latu returns to the side after recovering from injury and will push Hugh Roach to the bench.
Nick Phipps is once again being forced to play second fiddle to young Jake Gordon at halfback, while Reece Robinson snatches up the wing spot in place of big Taqele Naiyaravoro.
The only other change for the home side sees Michael Wells get nudged out of the starting 15 for Jed Holloways at No. 8.
For the Blues, coach Tana Umaga has made just the one alteration to his line-up, bringing Piers Francis back from injury to replace Bryn Gatland at flyhalf.
Prediction
This one could be a close encounter with both sides in desperate need of a win to keep their finals hopes alive.
The Blues have been the struggles of the New Zealand Conference this season, but in saying that, they’ve still looked the better side this year compared to the Tahs who have struggled with piecing together consecutive performances.
The Blues should keep the New Zealand dominance alive.
Blues to win by 10
OZ Rugby Fan
Guest
With that level of dominance I then question why they would suddenly give up (in this instance) 5 tries. Surely its not that hard to "wake up" when you're that good?
Robert
Guest
22-0 in a row if you count the end of last season, but hey we have the depth for five teams
Quin
Guest
So let's flip the coin then, why can Aussie fans (yourself) not give credit and say the Kiwi team were fantastic in the first 40. No? It's much easier for you to say the Tahs were diabolical... Pot, Kettle, Black
Thedarknessfan
Guest
Considering an Australian team has not won a rugby match over their Nz rivals for something like 20 games now, the previous observation has more merit than you think Also the kiwi teams comebacks usually result in a win. Not a brief flutter of resistance
Ryan
Guest
They did give the game away easily. The final score flatters NSW, they were never in this game even though the score infers otherwise.
taylorman
Guest
Aaah but this time a winning atrocious ending for the Blues, that I can stomach. Better that than the four game but narrow misses against NZ sides.
Ruckin' Oaf
Guest
Could be worse he might follow the Tahs :)
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Hey enjoy not having a team to follow next year.
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Typical analysis of a guy short of a about 9 chromosomes.
KiwiHaydn
Guest
Skelton is a slow behemoth of a man, that almost always catches the ball flat footed before plodding forward and falling to the ground in the tackle. What a total waste of his size - get some speed, fitness and agression into his game, or get him off the field.
DaniE
Roar Guru
They're masochists, they really must be. Must like the (verbal?) whipping they get. And the pressure! Like uni students leaving an assignment to the night before. Except these guys are paid professionals.
Blinky Bill of Bellingen NSW
Guest
I reckon the coach needs to address the team in the sheds before kick off and get them to play as if they're in the second half and they're 25 points down. It seems when all is lost that they start to try play some footy. Left to their normal modus operandi, they spend most of the first half hoping the other team will cock it up. Then when it's all far too late they act like the team we want to see. What gives?
Jeffrey
Guest
All of the match TM :-)
Faith
Guest
Force hold all the Aussie cards this round if they can withstand the Sharks ...
Jeffrey
Guest
I wonder if Gibson will pull a Kidwell and say that he was proud of the second half?
Daveski
Guest
I do love a humble winner
Pinetree
Guest
You have to ask yourself how much responsibility Nathan grey has on the Tahs as defence coach. Gibson isn't the best, but as Gibson is in charge of attack I believe he has done better in comparison to Grey. The Tahs as of the end of last round were 2nd equal with the Sunwolves for most tries conceded at 39 (Cheetahs the worst at 42 tries conceded. The Tahs have conceded 11 of those tries by centers which indicates a mid field defence weakness. The Tahs however as of end of last round were 9th in tries scored with 27 tries. I believe they will be 8th after the weekend looking at the stats. Gibson gets a lot of stick, but Grey as the Wallibies defence coach surely has some blame to shoulder,if not the most for the Tahs performances?
Daveski
Guest
"Thrashed them between the posts".... first time I've heard that. Makes zero sense. You got sheep on the mind Kirky?
OZ Rugby Fan
Guest
4 straight penalties in front of the sticks and a marginal denied try over the line and the ref was letting the Tahs have the game... OK... I thought it was a strong come back from a team that could have given the game away easily. Good heart, in the end though despite the 5 tries to 4 it was a bad performance by the Tahs. Just not good enough.
Old Bugger
Guest
Congrats RT, Tman, Riccardo and all Blues supporters. I didn't see the 2nd half but thought surely, they couldn't fall over, with that lead. Absolutely surprised when I got back to see this final score. Will have to watch my recording to see what happened. Still, a win is a win no matter what the final score....well done Blues.