Blues beat Chiefs but are denied top spot after Josh Ioane’s last-gasp try
Saturday, 1 June 2024
The Blues were denied top spot by Josh Ioane’s late try after beating the Chiefs on Saturday night.
The Hurricanes finish first in the regular season and the Blues dropped to second when Ioane scored in the 80th minute.
The Blues face the Fijian Drua in the quarterfinals and the Chiefs host the Reds.
At Eden Park, Auckland: Blues 31 (Ricky Riccitelli 9’, Hoskins Sotutu 19’ 54’, Mark Telea 43’, Akira Ioane 63’ tries; Harry Plummer 3 con) Chiefs 17 (Aidan Ross 38’, Quinn Tupaea 69’, Josh Ioane 80’ tries; Damian McKenzie con). HT: 12-7. Yellow cards: Ross (Chiefs), Sotutu (Blues).
The Blues had to seize the initiative to pinch top spot and buckled under pressure in failing to claim the bonus-point win they wanted against the Chiefs on Saturday night.
Fearful of rueing last week’s defeat to the Crusaders, who won’t even feature in the play-offs, Vern Cotter’s team were denied first in the standings in one of their more nervous and disappointing victories at Eden Park.
The Hurricanes’ bonus-point win (41-14) over the Highlanders meant the Blues needed the maximum five competition points to reclaim top spot, something they let slip after Josh Ioane’s stunning last-gasp try for the visitors.
It ensured the Hurricanes finished first and are guaranteed hosting rights throughout the play-offs. The Blues had to settle for second after winning 31-17 with five tries to three, one try short of what they needed for a bonus point in Super Rugby Pacific’s final round.
The Chiefs were less desperate, knowing they were almost certain to finish fourth, while the Blues had a straightforward equation that was nonetheless challenging.
Tries were required – at least three more than the Chiefs in a victory – and they reached that mark when in-form No 8 Hoskins Sotutu claimed his brace in the 54th minute.
Mark Telea spun out of tackles for a trademark try to get the Blues rolling in the second half and Akira Ioane’s effort had them four tries ahead, although Quinn Tupaea’s soft try with 12 minutes left gave the Hurricanes hope.
The 22,194 in attendance gasped when Ioane crossed in the 80th minute, knowing the Blues had given up top spot in dramatic fashion after more weak defence.
The Blues were reshuffled after Rieko Ioane (hand injury) and Taufa Funaki (hamstring) were late withdrawals. Halfback Finlay Christie returned to good effect in place of the latter after two months out (groin) and Harry Plummer was solid again after moving to second five-eighth.
Caleb Clarke was a menace on their left wing and Dalton Papali’i led their forwards who again exerted their authority.
It must be said this was not the Chiefs at full strength. Tupou Vaa’i, Anton Lienert-Brown, Emoni Narawa and Shaun Stevenson were all not playing when they surely would have had this been the play-offs.
Samipeni Finau’s welcome return from a shoulder injury gave their pack the additional aggression needed to take on the Blues’ forwards who have dominated throughout the season, but they were no match.
Damian McKenzie and Etene Nanai-Seturo had their moments in attack, but with an eye on the quarterfinals, the former was replaced by the Hurricanes’ unlikely hero, Josh Ioane, for the final minutes.
The Chiefs were harshly denied a first-minute try for Nanai-Seturo when Ricky Riccitelli was adjudged to have been obstructed. Moments later, Riccitelli was rolling over to score as the Blues flexed their muscles in an enveloping rolling maul.
However, the visitors were beating themselves. Successive penalties, resulting in a yellow card for Aidan Ross, a fumbling set-piece and handling errors ensured the hosts dominated much of the opening 40.
When Sotutu crashed over from another onslaught of the Blues’ effective short carries, they were well in command.
But the tables turned before the break. Sotutu was soon in the sinbin as the Blues were on the wrong side of referee Ben O’Keeffe. Ironically, Ross, the other yellow-carded man, got the Chiefs on the board.
The big picture
The Blues couldn’t clinch top spot with a 12-2 record and dropped to second. It remains to be seen how costly that might be. If the Blues were to face the Hurricanes in the final, it would be held in Wellington.
The Chiefs finished fourth with a 9-5 record and have been underwhelming throughout an indifferent campaign. Coach Clayton McMillan will have to lift them for the play-offs.
What’s next
The Blues host the Fijian Drua at Eden Park in the quarterfinals next Saturday night.
The Chiefs welcome the Reds to Hamilton next Friday night in a repeat of the tense quarterfinal they won against the Queenslanders last year.
Super Rugby Pacific quarterfinals
Friday, 7.05pm: Chiefs (4th) v Reds (5th) at Waikato Stadium, Hamilton
Saturday, 4.35pm: Hurricanes (1st) v Melbourne Rebels (8th) at Sky Stadium, Wellington
Saturday, 7.05pm: Blues (2nd) v Fijian Drua (7th) at Eden Park, Auckland
Saturday, 9.35pm: Brumbies (3rd) v Highlanders (6th) at GIO Stadium, Canberra