In a dominant display the Blues handed the Crusaders their fifth defeat of the season with crushing 26-6 victory at Eden Park in Auckland.
The defeat exacerbates the Crusaders’ already shocking start to the season, setting a new low in their record going 0 and 5, while the Blues celebrated their second victory over their long-standing rivals in their past 20 encounters. The win marked their first against the Crusaders on home soil in a decade.
Playing in torrential rain the Blues’ Stephen Perofeta opened the scoring with an early penalty. The Crusaders led by captain David Havili, sought to maintain possession and nearly scored during a lineout maul.
The Blues were momentarily weakened when flanker Dalton Papali’i received a yellow card, yet the Crusaders’ No.8 Cullen Grace’s error near the try line squandered a prime opportunity.
Once Papali’i returned, the Crusaders managed to secure points through Riley Hohepa’s penalty. However, the Blues kept up the pressure, benefiting from the Crusaders’ struggling lineout.
Perofeta extended the Blues’ lead with a superb 40-metre penalty, answered by Hohepa’s similar effort.
The Blues suffered a setback before halftime as fullback Zarn Sullivan left the field with a calf injury. They regained the lead with another Perofeta penalty following a yellow card against Willi Heinz.
The match’s momentum firmly shifted to the Blues right after halftime. Cole Forbes, stepping in for Sullivan, alongside Perofeta, made big gains with the ball in hand. Prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi’s effort culminated in the match’s first try. AJ Lam quickly added another.
The Blues exploited the Crusaders’ weakened defense after Havili left the field, leading to a dynamic break by Caleb Clarke and another penalty against the Crusaders, with Sevu Reece receiving a yellow card this time.
The Blues’ relentless pressure continued to expose the Crusaders’ vulnerabilities, with another penalty successfully converted by Perofeta. An attempt by the Crusaders to respond was thwarted by a critical tackle from Clarke.
Despite the Crusaders’ possession advantage, their lineout failures and the Blues’ strategic plays ensured the victory for the home team, celebrating Patrick Tuipulotu’s 100th appearance with a win.
After the match Havili admitted to execution errors and said his team needed to improve, especially in crucial moments. The Crusaders face a challenging task ahead with an upcoming Round 6 match against the Chiefs, while the Blues look forward to playing Moana Pasifika at Eden Park next week.
