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Blues make a Super Rugby statement in record win over Highlanders
By AAP
The highly rated Auckland-based Blues have produced a Super Rugby Pacific statement performance to start their 2023 campaign with a record 60-20 win at the home of the Dunedin-based Highlanders.
The powerful running of winger Mark Telea was a high point in a fast-paced match at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
But head coach Leon MacDonald, who recently was linked to the Scotland national team, will be concerned with the Blues' discipline.
They played the last 10 minutes of the first half and the first 10 minutes of the second half with 14 men after yellow cards and conceded too many penalties, especially near their line.
The Blues lost last year's Super Rugby final to the Crusaders 21-7.
"I don't want to bring up last year but we're probably playing with a bit of fire in the belly from the disappointment last year," Blues captain Dalton Papali'i said.
The Blues started strongly with tries to Telea, Beauden Barrett, Caleb Clark and Rieko Ioane to lead 31-6 after 28 minutes.
The Highlanders had a small resurgence before halftime and cut the lead to 31-20 at the break.
A try to Marcel Renata kick-started the Blues second-half scoring and with second tries to Ioane and Telea and another to Papali'i they walked away with the match.
- with AP
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Latest Comments
Italians defended well. Luckily the scrums went well for the ABs.
Go to commentsYou were 'valuing' the players by you saying "they are not greats" though, I was pointing out another reason why they are greats, inside the team I mean (which is more important to selections on the pitch stuff).
Someone like TJ would be bitterly disappointed he didn't play on this end of year tour. He is still good enough to come on in that France game and ensure the team get the victory (with regards to how well Ratima had been playing). At the very least this is a 'sorry you didn't get that chance' offering, he's not here to get token farewell games, he will be playing to try and prove that he should have been on the pitch last week.
The other decision to play your best over the future is really personal though so can agree with your reasoning. Just sharing a slightly different perspective. I'll have to check the ratings and see how they went.
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