Blues
30
Match Complete
Hurricanes
20
| 77 |  | T. Perenara | ||
| 77 |  | J. Booth | ||
| O. Black |  | 65 | ||
| O. Black | | 58 | ||
| O. Black | | 54 | ||
| O. Black | | 51 | ||
| D. Papali'i | | 49 | ||
| 25 | | B. Lam | ||
| O. Black | | 19 | ||
| T. Faiane | | 18 | ||
| 14 | | D. Coles | ||
| O. Black | | 13 | ||
| C. Clarke | | 11 | ||
| 8 | | J. Garden-Bachop |
| 3 | Tries | 3 | ||
| 3 | Conversions | 1 | ||
| 3 | Penalty Goals | 1 | ||
| 0 | Field Goals | 0 |
Beauden Barrett runs out for the Blues against the Hurricanes in the second game of Super Rugby Aotearoa’s Round 1. Join The Roar, where we’ll have live scores and a blog from 1:35pm (AEST).
He’s here. Beauden Barrett, the best ten in international rugby union, makes his first appearance for the Blues, where he’ll feature in the next ten games for the Blues.
From a team perspective, it’s a fresh start for all five teams involved. The slate’s wiped clean, previous wins and losses matter not, and to be frank, no-one will even remember the seven rounds of regular Super Rugby played before lockdown struck.
While the Blues won five of seven games in 2020 Super Rugby to find themselves in second place in the NZ conference, just three of those games were against Kiwi rivals. Notably they beat the Hurricanes 24-15, but losses to the Crusaders and Chiefs again put into question their competitiveness within their group.
Eight games in ten weeks against these clubs will make or break the Blues, and how they’re going to cope in these derbies is a far bigger problem than trying to fit Dan Carter and Beauden Barrett into the starting side.
The Hurricanes recovered from a Round 1 slaughtering to win four of their six games, but played only two games against local rivals, with the loss to the Blues offset by a 27-24 victory over the Chiefs in Waikato.
While Carter’s return will steal all the headlines, Ardie Savea makes his first appearance of 2020 for the Hurricanes, just quietly. He’ll be one of six forwards on the Canes’ bench.
In other team news, the visitors have named a solid side, albeit one lacking Jordie Barrett, whose shoulder injury means that Chase Tiatia starts at 15, with Jackson Garden-Bachop taking the reins at ten.
For the Blues, Dan Carter won’t feature in their opening game. Not that it means we’ll see Beauden Barrett at first five. Instead he’ll run out at fullback, with Otere Black taking over those responsibilities at least for the start, with hints that Barrett could slide into flyhalf as the game goes on.
Partnering those tens in the halves will be the in-form Sam Nock. Akira Ioane again misses out, with Hoskins Sotutu, Blake Gibson and Tom Robinson making up the loose.
Prediction
The Blues have the form, the strength and the home support – with over 37,000 tickets sold as of Friday afternoon – so it makes sense to go with them as favourites.
Make sure to join The Roar for live scores and a blog from 1:35pm (AEST).
Game information
Kick-off: 1:35pm (AEST)
Venue: Eden Park
TV (Australia): Fox Sports
Live stream (Australia): Kayo Sports, Foxtel
Odds: Blues $1.50, Hurricanes $2.60
Teams
Blues
Alex Hodgman, James Parsons, Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Patrick Tuipulotu (c), Josh Goodhue, Tom Robinson, Blake Gibson, Hoskins Sotutu, Sam Nock, Otere Black, Caleb Clarke, TJ Faiane, Rieko Ioane, Mark Telea, Beauden Barrett.
Reserves: Kurt Eklund, Ezekiel Lindenmuth, Marcel Renata, Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, Dalton Papalii, Finlay Christie, Harry Plummer, Matt Duffie.
Hurricanes
Fraser Armstrong, Dane Coles (cc), Tyrel Lomax, James Blackwell, Scott Scrafton, Reed Prinsep, Du’Plessis Kirifi, Gareth Evans, TJ Perenara (cc), Jackson Garden-Bachop, Ben Lam, Ngani Laumape, Vince Aso, Wes Goosen, Chase Tiatia.
Reserves: Asafo Aumua, Tevita Mafileo, Alex Fidow, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Vaea Fifita, Ardie Savea, Jamie Booth, Billy Proctor.
Carlos the Argie
Roar Guru
Then, he’s an airhead! And it’s not thorn season yet.
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
Not my brother, he has lived in Ca for too long. :unhappy:
Carlos the Argie
Roar Guru
You always carry spares and materials to deal with flats with you.
Tooly
Roar Rookie
Great football . The Ref wasn’t wrong but he was hard.
Paulie
Guest
First Professional Sport in the World to have a capacity crowd with real crowd noise...only in N.Z
Lara
Guest
The Blues were just to good. Great try to Coles , bumping off BB n great celebration including BB. Congratulations to the game water boys...DC, Tana n CS....such an underrated job, but so important .
Double Agent
Guest
Think Nock takes that one. George Michael was about the only dark haired man that could get away with blonde hair.
Double Agent
Guest
I thought it was a cracker. Some great champagne rugby on display!!
Faith
Roar Rookie
This game not as good as yesterday's. Canes just couldn't settle and even if they don't look that flash on paper they are quite a handful. Incredible that we have 6 weeks of NZ derbies - just unbelievable ...
Ex force fan
Guest
Congratulations long suffering Blues fans..... hope the tide turned.
robert
Guest
so after a few years of watching the all blacks with a number eight having no impact on the game, it was heartening to see the blues and highlanders have number eights with size and power, hopefully fozzie was watching, we need a real number eight, no hybrids, put ardie at six
Oblonsky‘s Other Pun
Roar Guru
Jeez looks like Black had a red hot game!
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
Digger, the positive is it was 3 tries apiece and the Canes scrum and attack was fine. Hopefully the lineout can be fixed and once blokes get what the refs want in ruckland then the Hurry Canes will improve. Add that they lost a lot of players from the last few years so have to rebuild again. And I'm pretty sure that TM, RT, BM et all will send you a beer at Xmas for your kind gesture in shipping BBBBBBBBBBBBB up north. :stoked:
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
Thanks for the blog Tom .. great stuff
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
I haven't seen the Digger comment in the blog so I'm guessing he is about to drive South from Very East Bondi (aka Auckland), swearing and muttering at all the blue road signs. Big KonGrats to RT, Bluebag and the other Blue boys. They finally got a team that knows how to win and doesn't conspire to break their supporters' hearts. MOTM has to go to the Big Blond Surfie Boy #8 Hoskins Sotutu; Patrick T, Ofa T and Simon & Garfield Mrs Robinson's boy Tom all put in good shifts also. Hoskins tackled everything near him, crunched lots of bodies in the rucks and ran with the ball like he wanted the game to finish so he could get to the pub to show off his hair colour. O.Black, Reiko and the 2 wingers were also very good. Can't wait till next weekend. :happy:
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
Yep, Canes LO was crap as was Blues in the breakdown, particularly in the first half
Tom English
Roar Guru
Cracker of a game, even if it did end up a convincing win for the Blues. I enjoyed it. Cheers all for stopping by. FULLTIME: Blues 30 Hurricanes 20
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
GO BLUES, YOU GOOD THING! Commiserations Diggercane, but Canes will be back. Game was disjointed but both teams will be better for the run.
Digby
Roar Guru
Congrats RT, great win. Plenty of opportunities to launch, but won’t achieve much this season if the Lineout continues to be that bad. Abysmal.
Jokerman
Roar Guru
Drop the Hurricanes name. Make then Welly and then destroy!! Good for the Blues. Ioane showing a second life could happen at centre...but test level could be another beast for him. Lots to learn.