Blues
32
Match Complete
NSW Waratahs
29
| 75 |  | J. Gordon | ||
| O. Black |  | 66 | ||
| 63 | | B. Foley | ||
| O. Black |  | 60 | ||
| M. Nonu | | 59 | ||
| 56 | | B. Foley | ||
| 54 | | A. Newsome | ||
| T. Faiane | | 46 | ||
| 39 | | B. Foley | ||
| 37 | | W. Miller | ||
| 25 | | B. Foley | ||
| 23 | | I. Folau | ||
| O. Black | | 17 | ||
| C. Clarke | | 16 | ||
| O. Black | | 9 | ||
| T. Robinson | | 8 | ||
| O. Black | | 3 |
| 4 | Tries | 4 | ||
| 3 | Conversions | 3 | ||
| 2 | Penalty Goals | 1 | ||
| 0 | Field Goals | 0 |
Coming off an embarrassing home loss to the Sunwolves, the Waratahs will look to get back to winning ways when they travel to Auckland to face the Blues. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog from 5:35pm AEDT.
It’s been a weird few weeks for the Waratahs; impressively beating the Crusaders at home, before the Sunwolves gave them a reality check in Newcastle. Their ledger against New Zealand teams sits at 1-1, and an expected victory tonight would put them back on track.
The Aucklanders are on a winning streak; after dropping games to the Cantabrians, Sharks and Jaguares, they’re on a roll with victories against the Sunwolves, Highlanders and Stormers.
The two clubs have the same win-loss record, at 3-3, and fill the seventh and eighth spots on the ladder, with only six for-and-against points separating them.
With losses in their last three encounters with the Blues, the Tahs’ most recent victory against them came in 2015, when they won 23-11.
In team news: World Cup resting regulations mean Michael Hooper will sit this one out, and Kurtley Beale will drop to the bench, even as Bernard Foley takes the reins at 10.
Will Miller comes in for Hooper, and Adam Ashley-Cooper will link up with Karmichael Hunt in the centres.
For the hosts, Caleb Clarke comes in for Tanielu Tele’a and Josh Goodhue returns from his shoulder injury, taking over from Gerard Cowley-Tuioti.
A knee injury has also ruled out Sonny Bill Williams.
The key for the Waratahs will be shutting down the Blues backline. Melani Nanaimo is in a great run of form, and woe is any team who lets Rieko Ioane too much ball.
Prediction
Waratahs to get the job done, but without setting the world in fire, especially given there’s no Hooper.
Waratahs by 10.
Venue: Eden Park, Auckland.
Time: 5:35pm AEDT.
Odds: Blues $1.33, Waratahs $3.35.
Referee: Federico Anselmi.
Blues
1. Alex Hodgman, 2. James Parsons, 3. Sione Mafileo, 4. Patrick Tuipulotu, 5. Josh Goodhue, 6. Tom Robinson, 7. Blake Gibson, 8. Akira Ioane, 9. Jonathan Ruru, 10. Otere Black, 11. Rieko Ioane, 12. Ma’a Nonu, 13. TJ Faiane, 14. Caleb Clarke, 15. Melani Nanai.
Bench: 16. Matt Moulds, 17. Marcel Renata, 18. Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 19. Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 20. Dalton Papalii, 21. Sam Nock, 22. Harry Plummer, 23. Michael Collins.
Waratahs
1. Harry Johnson-Holmes, 2. Damien Fitzpatrick, 3. Sekope Kepu, 4. Ned Hanigan, 5. Rob Simmons, 6. Jack Dempsey, 7. Will Miller, 8. Michael Wells, 9. Nick Phipps, 10. Bernard Foley, 11. Alex Newsome, 12. Karmichael Hunt, 13. Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14. Cam Clark, 15. Israel Folau.
Bench: 16. Andrew Tuala, 17. Rory O’Connor, 18. Chris Talakai, 19. Tom Staniforth, 20. Lachlan Swinton, 21. Jake Gordon, 22. Kurtley Beale, 23. Lalakai Foketi.
tsuru
Roar Rookie
Gloria, I finally find something to agree with you about. I'd love to know what Jake Gordon's plan was in kicking the ball back to the Blues when his team needed to score at least 3 points in 3 minutes. Yes they needed to be down the other end, but they also needed to have the ball. Don't I remember Nick White being roundly criticized for a similar act?
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
RT, I'm even enjoying watching your Bluebags play. That's how crook it is for us suffering Tahs supporters. Having learnt my lesson I followed you and tipped the Blues this week but was happy that the Tahs put up a good game despite N.Hanigan and K.Hunt leaving the field early. The Blues backline gets a lot of kudos but for mine the big improvement is the Blues' pack. PatrickT is a BEAST and what about your reserve props? With the confidence of the go-forward the backrow has clicked. You, TM and BluesFan must be stoked and may it long continue. A game in hand and just 4 points off the mis-firing Canes. A HUGE match next week for your mob, taking on your lil brothers down the road (who also have shifted into 3rd gear).
Tipene Roar
Roar Rookie
Pull your head back in
Machooka
Roar Guru
Congrats Tragic... that's now 3 years in a row you've taken 'bill'! :)
Kiwikrs
Roar Rookie
Big call
Rugby Tragic
Roar Rookie
Thanks Thugby, wasn’t a great game but of course we’ll take it.
rebel
Roar Guru
Then comment on the sealing off by both sides all match. It's not policed any more. No pandering, saying so just embarrasses yourself.
elvis
Roar Rookie
I don't support either team, but he is absolutely right. It used to be a penalty all day for sealing off, why aren't refs pinging it now?
Double Agent
Guest
Why is Phipps starting? He's a tough fxcker - pity he's not bigger he'd make an outstanding loose forward - but Jake Gordon is clearly the No1 halfback.
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
Gavin, read what I say, NOT what you think. :)
Gavin
Guest
If the roles were reserved and the Tahs had just won would you have made the same comments? Probably not.
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
Wrong Bing, I am not saying home reffing at all nor am I implying that the Blues cheated. They did what the referee allowed so all good to them! It's a tactic that's become allowed and it drives me insane. In almost every game of rugby NH or SH, you will see players coming into a ruck and flopping onto his tackled team-mate. It absolutely stops dead any chance of the opposing defenders from securing the ball ie: it kills the contest for the ball which is supposedly Rugby Union's major difference with RL.
Headly Lamarr
Guest
Only wish Folau could pass as well as he catches the high ball. As a by, spot on cross kick by Foley for Folau's spectacular try.
Flyman
Roar Rookie
Well done Blues!
Dave
Guest
Bing Bing the whiney thing
Mark
Guest
However Blues Defence is still very porous Hopefully Umaga will be gone next year and someone with a clue will be brought in
Mark
Guest
Folau was simply outstanding Very frightening performance And the Blues kept kicking it to him Shame some of the other players in the Tahs aren't anywhere near his level (for NSW fans - for me - very happy)
Mark
Guest
I cannot believe Bryn Hall used to be a Blues player and Umaga thought Pulu and Ruru were better options
Mark
Guest
Crikey The Blues actually defend a maul for a change. That must be the first time in 3 years. And the way the ended the game - the Blues for the last 5/6/7/8 years could never have done that. Are we starting to see Coventry's touch?
Bing
Guest
I watched the whole game. I was referring to the last 3 minutes where the Blues sealed of and the ref let it go.