What a way to kick off the Super14. In New Zealand it doesn't come much tougher or fiercer than this.
Speaking before the match Blues commercial manager Grant McKenzie said that he ws expecting a large walk-up crowd.
"The weather forecast is great and Blues v Hurricanes games are always popular, so we are expecting a lot of people to turn up at the gate tonight."
Match detail
We are waiting for the kick off.
0.01 : Willie Ripia kicks off and we are underway !
1.00: The Blues defend well from the kick off but the Chiefs the pressure on the Blues and Alby Mathewson is caught offside so the Hurricanes get a penalty.
2.00: Willie Ripia takes the kick and nails it for the first points of 2010.
4.00: WOW ! Stephen Brett finds a hole in the Hurricanes defence and darts through it and scores right next to the posts for the first try of 2010 - It's all happening now folks!. That was the 6097th Super rugby try.
5.00: Stephen Brett converts his try and the Blues lead by 4.
7.00: The Hurricanes get another penalty but this time Ripia sends it wide.
9.00: The Blues are struggling a bit under the new interpretation of the laws and they get pinged again for a penalty. This one Ripia nails.
12.00: The Blues start to work the ball up the middle of the field but the Hurricanes defence slows them down and the ball gets turned over. Neemia Tialata gets some medical attention.
13.00: We are back on and we have a scrum. The Canes have a heavier scrum but they get pushed back by the Blues. The ball gets booted upfield - as the Blues try to run it Winston Stanley goes to ground and Dickinson blows up for another penalty.
14.00: Stephen Brett takes the kick from about 42 m out and nails it.
16.00: The Hurricanes try to run the ball but the Blues stop them and turn it over. Blues win a penalty and take the quick tap. They gain good ground and Rokocoko finds space...he gets caught but the ball stays alive. They change sides and then go to the middle and John Afoa powers over for the second try ! Great continuity and ball skills.
17.00: Stephen Brett nails the conversion. It's almost a point a minute.
20.00: Both teams are struggling with the new rules interpretation. Tony Woodcock gets pinged for a penalty in the scrum. Willie Ripia takes another shot at posts. He nails it.
22.00: The Blues are look to attack again. The Canes turn it over though and then they boot it up. Hosea Gear chases and boy he has some pace. The Blues get to the ball first though. Hurricanes turn it over and give it some air. As they try to set up an attack the Blues give away another penalty for playing the ball on the ground.
24.00: Willie Ripia has another shot at goal and misses.
25.00: It's probably going to take a week or two for the teams to get used to these new law interpretations. All the penalties are slowing the game down a little. The Hurricanes try to attack they change sides to stretch the defence. They change sides again but a poor pass to Corey Jane sees the ball go to ground.
27.00: Hurricanes retain possession tho and they reset. The ball gets booted up to Rudi Wulf who boots it back to the Canes.
28.00: Stuart Dickinson pings the Blues for slowing the ball down. Keven Mealamu gets a team warning. Ripia takes another shot at goal and nails it.
30.00: The Blues are on attack again, they swing the ball wide and as they get a break (and knock on) Dickinson calls them back for an advantage. Stephen Brett takes the penalty kick and slots it.
33.00: Corey Jane puts in a territorial kick behind Wulf and sets up a Blues line out about 8m out. Blues however win the line out and set up a driving maul. Mathewson clears the ball and it goes out.
35.00: Weepu takes a quick tap and makes good ground. Eventually the Blues turn it over and knock on.
37.00: After a scrum Conrad Smith makes a break but after the recycle the Hurricanes get blown up for a forward pass.
38.00: Conrad Smith gets blown up for not "cleanly" releasing a player in the tackle. That's 12 penalties so far. The Blues set up a line out but knock on.
39.00: Hurricanes win the scrum and swing the ball out to Gear but it goes forward so they are called back. Corey Jane was trying to be too fancy.
40.49: The siren goes for half time but we have a penalty. Stephen Brett takes the kick and takes his time but sends it wide. Another siren goes for half time.
It's half time.
The half time score is Blues 20 Hurricanes 12
The second half is underway. We haven't got an exact figure but we have been told that there are around 23 000 people in the ground.
42.00: The Blues start badly as they give away a penalty to the Hurricanes so Willie Ripia takes his seventh shot at goal and slots it.
43.00: Joe Rokocoko finds a hole in the Canes defence and takes it, he takes three with him but the secondary defence manages to stop them about 15m out.
44.00:The Blues choose to scrum but the Hurricanes turn it over and Ripia sends the ball half way down the field and to safety.
47.00: Stephen Brett is thriving at the Blues. His defensive skills have stepped up.
48.00: Weepu picks up a loose ball after some scrappy play. The Blues however turn it over and Brett sends the ball down field. The Hurricanes work the ball across the field and Ripia kicks to Rokocoko but he gets stopped.
49.00: Charlie Faumuina comes on and replaces try scorer John Afoa. Peter Saili comes on for a blood bin on Serge Lilo.
50.00: The Hurricanes pick up a intercept pass which takes them to within 5m but the Blues hold them out. After a scrum the Blues win the ball and kick it to safety.
53.00: Its scrappy stuff as Benson Stanley flattens Aaron Cruden. We break as he gets some medical attention. Probably winded the guy.
55.00: The sun has gone down and the game has gone a little scrappy now. The Blues win a line out and swing it wide. Hosea Gear intercepts and flies off - he scores under the posts !
56.00: Willie Ripia converts the try and the Hurricanes lead for the first time.
59.00: Blues kick the ball up and the Hurricanes charge the ball down and attack. They don't get too far as the Blues give away a penalty.
60.00: Piri Weepu takes over the kicking as Ripia is off and he nails it. Now the Hurricanes lead by 5 - how this game has changed in a few minutes!
64.00: The Blues look to fight back but Victor Vito reaches for the ball and knocks on.
65.00: Rene Ranger breaks but gets caught by Nonu. The Canes keep the ball alive and it gets turned over. The game takes a furious step up of pace as both teams contest for the ball. Eventually it goes out.
66.00: Nonu makes a break but gets caught. The Blues are fading as the Hurricanes start to step up. In the first half the Blues were the better team but now the Hurricanes are coming into their own.
68.00: Ouch, Now here is a turning point. Isaia Toeava is sent to the bin with a yellow card for playing with the boot. They had been warned.
69.00: Piri Weepu takes the kick and nails it on quite an angle. This could be over for the Blues.
72.00: The Hurricanes have stepped up the pressure and swing the ball out to the line in order to use their numbers advantage. Joe Rokocoko goes down injured and the Blues get caught offside.
73.00 : Piri Weepu nails another penalty.
75.00: It's all the Hurricanes now. The Blues are tiring and doing what they can to defend. We break for injury.
77.00: The match resumes and the Hurricanes boot the ball downfield. The Blues however get the ball and counter attack from their 25. They work it closer to the half way line but keep getting nailed. Blues give away a penalty.
78.00: Piri Weepu takes the penalty and he nails it to make it nine penalties for the Canes.
80.00: Stuart Dickinson blows for full time and the Hurricanes win.
The full time score is Blues 20 Hurricanes 34
Scorers
Blues
Tries - Stephen Brett, John Afoa
Pen - Stephen Brett 2
Con - Stephen Brett 2
Drop -
Bin - 68 Yellow - Isaia Toeava
Tries - Stephen Brett, John Afoa
Pen - Stephen Brett 2
Con - Stephen Brett 2
Drop -
Bin - 68 Yellow - Isaia Toeava
Hurricanes
Tries - Hosea Gear
Pen - Ripia 5, Weepu 4
Con - Ripia
Drop -
Match Officials
Referee: Stuart Dickinson (Aus)
Ass. Refs: Bryce Lawrence (NZ), Garratt Williamson (NZ)
TMO: Ben Skeen (NZ)
Teams
Blues : Rudi Wulf, Rene Ranger, Isaia Toeava, Benson Stanley, Joe Rokocoko, Stephen Brett, Alby Mathewson, Viliami Ma'afu, Serge Lilo, Jerome Kaino, Anthony Boric, Kurtis Haiu, John Afoa, Keven Mealamu (captain), Tony Woodcock.
Reserves - Tom McCartney, Charlie Faumuina, Filo Paulo, Peter Saili, Chris Smylie, Daniel Kirkpatrick, Paul Williams.
Hurricanes : 1. John Schwalger,2. Andrew Hore (captain) ,3. Neemia Tialata,4. Michael Paterson,5. Jason Eaton,6. Nick Crosswell,7. Scott Waldrom,8. Victor Vito,9. Piri Weepu,10. Willie Ripia,11. Hosea Gear,12. Ma’a Nonu,13 Conrad Smith,14. Tamati Ellison,15. Cory Jane,
Reserves 16. Dane Coles,17. Jacob Ellison,18. Bryn Evans,19. Karl Lowe,20. Tyson Keats,21. Aaron Cruden,22. David Smith
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