Blues in playoffs as Hurricanes beat Moana
- Dave Worsley
- May 31
- 2 min read
The Blues have secured sixth place and a finals sport in 2025 after they thrashed the Waratahs 46-6 at Eden Park and then saw the Hurricanes beat Moana Pasifika 64-12.
Firstly the champion Blues ran in seven tries to none with sabbatical-bound All Blacks centre Rieko Ioane scoring a hat-trick and departing wing Mark Tele'a grabbing a couple in an all-round team effort.
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The Waratahs never looked like competing other than the first 10 minutes before Tele'a cross for the first time. After that it was all Blues including leading 24-6 at halftime and keeping the visitors from crossing the tryline.
Of note was the tackling of AJ Lam at second five who was up on the opposition quickly before cutting them down for most of the match.
For Moana Pasifika there was no happy ending in Ardie Savea's return to Wellington, althoiugh he did score a try on his old ground.
The Hurricanes dealt Moana Pasifika never letting the side into the match or near the required five point win needed to seal a playoffs spot.
Peter UmagaJensen scored two of the 10 tries as Hurricanes secured fourth spot in the playoffs starting with the Chiefs at the top, then Crusaders, Brumbies, Hurricanes, Reds and Blues.
Hurricanes 64 (Peter Umaga-Jensen 2 tries, Jacob Deverey, Devan Flanders,Cam Roigard , Raymond Tuputupu, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Billy Proctor, Ere Enari, Tjay Clarke tries; Ruben Love 7 con) Moana Pasifika 12 (Semisi Tupou Ta'eiloa, Ardie Savea tries; Patrick Pellegrini con). HT: 28-7.
Blues 46 (Rieko Ioane 3 tries, Mark Tele'a 2 tries’, Corey Evans, Ricky Riccitelli tries; Beauden Barrett 4 con, Harry Plummer pen) Waratahs 6 (Jack Bowen 2 pen). HT: 24-6..
