Blues in eight try romp against Cheetahs
The Blues ran the Cheetahs ragged and scored eight tries to thump the South Africans 50-32 in a Super Rugby clash at Eden Park on Friday.
The Cheetahs had managed to claw their way back into the match after an initial four-try blitz in the first half by the Blues, with flyhalf Fred Zeilinga slotting two penalties just before half-time to take the score to 24-18 to the home team.
But three more Blues touchdowns within six minutes after the break was enough to kill off the game as a contest.
While Cheetahs fans would’ve been expecting the worst in New Zealand due to their team’s poor record overseas, the Bloemfontein outfit actually rocked the Blues by getting onto the scoreboard first, with captain Francois Venter creating a dummy and eventually getting the ball down in the eighth minute.
But it didn’t take long for Tana Umaga’s free-flowing side from breaching the flimsy Cheetahs defence, with a simple backline move ending in fullback Melani Nanai offloading in the tackle for wing Rieko Ioane to score.
The see-sawing nature of the first half continued, as first the Cheetahs responded with a Torsten van Jaarsveld rumbling over from a maul off a five-metre lineout to put the visitors 12-7 ahead after 14 minutes.
But the Cheetahs lacked an appetite for defence on the night, with wing Raymond Rhule the guilty party on a couple of occasions as Scott Scrafton, Akira Ioane and Patrick Tuipulotu taking the Blues back into the lead at 24-12.
All Black lock Tuipulotu was at the heart of the Blues’ dominance in the tight-loose, and he set up Steven Luatua’s try early in the second half by cutting the line, before prop Charlie Faumuina offloaded in the tackle for Luatua.
Scrumhalf Augustine Pulu, No 8 Rieko Ioane and Nanai added further tries to bring up the half-century for the Blues, but the Cheetahs added some respectability to the scoreboard at least.
Replacement hooker Elandré Huggett barged over for a double from two lineout drives, but the game had already been won by the Blues well before the final quarter.
Scorers: Blues 50 (24): Tries: Rieko Ioane (2), Scott Scrafton, Akira Ioane, Patrick Tuipulotu, Steven Luatua, Augustine Pulu, Melani Nanai. Conversions: Piers Francis (3), Ihaia West (2). Cheetahs 32 (18): Tries: Francois Venter, Torsten van Jaarsveld, Elandré Huggett (2). Conversions: Fred Zeilinga (3). Penalties: Zeilinga (2).