Blues keep pace, Chiefs back to winning
- Mar 29
- 3 min read
The Blues have kept pace with the top of the table with a 40-15 win over the Fijian Drua at Eden Park.
Their forward pack was the difference as hooker Bradley Slater scored twice as they saw off a determined Drua outfit.
The hosts were eager to start amid a host of players out and Malachi Wrampling got the hosts off to a flyer after slamming the ball down in the sixth minute.
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But the Fijian Drua were motivated to rid their away form woes as they answered straight back through Etonia Waqa from close.
Obstruction from the kick-off hurt the Drua, giving the hosts a chance to hit straight back.
Hooker Slater took the offer with both hands, diving over via the rolling maul, which was dominant throughout the contest.
This failed to deter the Drua, who kept pressing the Blues' line through Waqa and Ponipate Longanimasi.
Waqa’s late first-half break reduced the Blues' lead to 14-12 at the break when lock Mesake Vocevoce dived over with five minutes left in the half.
A penalty goal to Kemu Valetini gave them the unlikely lead to start the second half.
However, Slater struck for his second, again diving over from the rolling maul as the weight of penalties against the Drua started to take its toll.
Codemeru Vai came off the bench and made a major impact, combining with young gun Payton Spencer to extend the lead.
Spencer then sealed the win with a brilliant length-of-the-field try with 15 minutes to go.
It started with a turnover from Che Clark right on their line, with the quick shift finding Beauden Barrett, turning it back inside for Finlay Christie to kick ahead for the son of Blues legend Carlos.
Caleb Clarke sealed the win and the bonus point with a try in the corner as the siren sounded.
The bonus point win keeps the Blues in touch with the Hurricanes at the top of the ladder, sitting second on points difference.
The Drua sit in ninth of the ladder, still searching for their first win over the Blues.
Meanwhile the Chiefs are back on track in Super Rugby after holding off the Force 24-14 in Perth.
The home side levelled the scores at 14-14 in the 49th minute to threaten an upset.
But the Chiefs' kept to their task and scored the next try and then holding on grimly when Ollie Norris received a yellow card in the 64th minute.
The result leaves the Force (four points) in second-last spot on the table with just one win to show from six games.
The Force's inability to pick up any losing bonus points also hurt, with just eight more games remaining for them to mount an unlikely finals assault.
The Chiefs rose to fifth and improved their record to 4-2.
Former NRL star Zac Lomax warmed up with the Force in a sign his Super Rugby debut could be just one or two weeks away.
The Force put up a huge defensive effort in the first 20 minutes, but when a crack finally did appear Chiefs flanker Luke Jacobson barged through it to score the opener in the 22nd minute.
The Chiefs threatened to score a second try shortly after following a fast break, only for Force scrumhalf Henry Robertson to win a vital penalty at the breakdown.
That momentum shift - which included a line-out steal - proved crucial.
When Ben Donaldson launched a high ball, Force centre George Bridge ran hard to take the grab and set off.
A slice of luck fell Bridge's way when he was tackled, with the ball bobbling backwards to teammate Max Burey who scored a runaway try to level the scores.
The Chiefs took full advantage in the 39th minute when flyhalf Josh Jacomb rounded Bridge before sprinting 30m to the line, giving the visitors a 14-7 lead.
The scores were back level in the 49th minute when Force skipper Jeremy Williams took the ball from a ruck and moved it forward a few centimetres to score one of his easier tries.
A rolling maul from the Chiefs sent Samisoni Taukei'aho over in the 58th minute plus a penalty to Damian McKenzie in the 79th minute sealed the win.
The Chiefs' ability to hold firm when down to 14 men from the 64th to 74th minute proving crucial in the triumph.
