Super Rugby Pacific: Blues bounce back with unconvincing victory over Highlanders
Friday, 17 April 2026
At Eden Park, Auckland: Blues 47 (Hoskins Sotutu try 10min, Anton Segner 2 tries 14min, 48min, Sam Darry try 27min, Bradley Slater try 45min, Cole Forbes try 62min, Ben Ake try 71min; Beauden Barrett 6 cons), Highlanders 40 (Adam Lennox 2 tries 3min, 57min Tanielu Tele’a 2 tries 33min, 76min, Xavier Tito-Harris try 67min, Soane Vikena try 78min; Cam MIllar 5 cons). HT: 19-14.
Yellow card: Zarn Sullivan (Blues) 33min; AJ Lam (Blues) 75min.
The return of their three game-changing forwards, and a slick try double by another, proved just enough to propel the Blues to an unconvincing bounceback victory over the late-surging Highlanders at Eden Park on Friday night.
After last week’s dispiriting 42-19 defeat to the Hurricanes in Wellington, Blues coach Vern Cotter would have demanded a response. His men, with skipper Patrick Tuipulotu making his first appearance of the season and influential loosies Dalton Papali’i and Hoskins Sotutu both returning from injury, produced it for the most part, but very nearly saw a big lead hauled in at the death by the fast-finishing southerners.
The Blues had looked to be cruising to a bonus-point result when they led 47-26 with nine minutes remaining, only for the Highlanders to score two late seven-pointers (in three minutes) and claw back within seven points, with still time to force the super-point extra period.
But the southerners, a man up, could not find the magic one last time in their finishing flurry and came up frustratingly short in a 13-try scoring extravaganza.
With the result, seven tries to six, the Blues improve to 6-3 and on to 29 competition points, one short of the Hurricanes at the top of the standings. But they will rue their inability to retain the bonus point when it looked in their hands.
Jamie Joseph’s Highlanders, gallant to the bitter end, drop to 3-6, and 16 points, with their top-six hopes fading fast. Still, on the strength of this gritty effort they remain a competitive outfit with something positive to build off.
The Blues looked a better unit up front with their three experienced forwards back, but would have been disappointed by their late collapse, not helped by some ill-discipline, shoddy execution and flimsy tackling.
Though Tuipulotu, who got through 46 solid minutes, Papali’i and Sotutu all played well, it was blindside flanker Anton Segner who was the standout performer for the Blues up front with a try double, 60 metres on the carry and three defenders beaten. Lock Sam Darry continued his solid form, though the home side would have been concerned by some scrum wobbles.
The Blues backs flashed their skills but would have been disappointed to fall off as many tackles as they did (18 by the starters). At least Fin Christie marked his 100th Super Rugby appearance with a positive result.
The Highlanders were spurred by a brilliant display from halfback Adam Lennox who crossed for two tries, ran for 95 metres and beat seven defenders. Their scrum was impressive and backs Tanielu Tele’a (two tries), Timoci Tavatavanawai and Caleb Tangitau (before he went off injured in the 33rd minute) all ran for 50-plus metres in a slick effort out wide.
The visiting bench was also fabulous as they changed the game late with their withering finish, with Xavier Tito-Harris (on early for Tangitau), Finn Hurley and Lucas Casey all producing eye-catching efforts.
The Blues ran hot and cold through the opening spell to eke out a tenuous 19-14 halftime lead, scoring three tries to two, but losing fullback Zarn Sullivan to a yellow card for the last seven minutes for a shoulder to the head of star Highlanders wing Tangitau.
The visitors bookended a competitive half with tries to halfback Lennox early, , with a brilliant break through a lineout and around Beauden Barrett, and centre Tele’a wide on the right, off Tangitau’s burst of speed and nice wide pass. It was the wing’s last contribution of the game as he copped Sullivan’s shoulder while dropping significantly in the tackle.
The Blues had a nice spell through the middle stages, crossing for three tries in 17 minutes to ease out to a 19-7 advantage that looked ominous.
Fit-again No 8 Sotutu had the first, driving over from close to the line after Sullivan’s darting run had come up just short, Segner the second after slick work in the lead-in from Codemeru Vai and Papali’i and in-form lock Darry the third to finish a patient and power-packed buildup.
The Blues looked well in control in the second spell as they eased into bonus-point territory, and a 40-21 lead, at the three-quarter mark with tries to Bradley Slater (off the lineout-drive), a second to Segner (a piece of individual brilliance on the carry) and Cole Forbes (set up by Barrett’s clever switch of play).
Tito-Harris got the Landers back within 14 with 13 to play, before a Ben Ake score on debut eased the home side out to 47-26 with the finishing post in sight. Then the visitors exploded. Tele’a crossed for his second score in the 76th minute and and replacement hooker Soane Vikena powered over, to finish a breakout from Hurley and Casey, just two minutes later to set up the grandstand finish.
The Blues held on, but not before one last flourish by the Highlanders that finished with a knock-on with the line in sight, and hearts aflutter in the home box.