The Auckland-based Blues managed only one try from massive advantages in territory and possession but it was enough for a 16-6 win over the Dunedin-based Highlanders on Friday which clinched a home quarterfinal in Super Rugby Pacific.
The Blues enjoyed 73 percent of territory and 72 percent of possession but their only try was contentious and went to lock Patrick Tuipulotu in the first half.
It was a gallant performance by the Highlanders, who held out against the overwhelming weight of Blues possession often with their backs against their own line and defended almost to a standstill.
But it might not be enough to save their season. The Highlanders remain in eighth place, though at least three matches in this weekend’s final regular-season round could see them displaced from that position and ousted from the quarterfinals.
The Highlanders fought to the end to extend their season into the playoffs. They kicked a penalty in the 78th minute to cut the Blues’ lead to seven points and tried desperately to score a converted try which would have taken the match to extra time.
The Blues held on and were happy when they received a penalty just after the fulltime siren to kick to touch and bring the game to an end.
The match raises major questions ahead of the playoffs about the Blues’ attack and how with so much ball in their opponents’ half they failed to produce more than a single try.
They had two tries disallowed – in the 22nd minute to hooker Ricci Riccitelli for a knock on and in the 66th minute to Mark Telea when replays showed the last pass came from a player in touch. The Highlanders also had a try from center Sam Gilbert disallowed for a knock on.
The big issue after the match was whether the single try that was allowed should have stood. After an outside break, the Blues forwards muscled the ball and backrower Tom Robinson slipped the ball to Tuipulotu who scored. But Robinson continued his run after passing and appeared to obstruct two Highlanders defenders.
“That was a helluva game,” Blues captain Dalton Papali’i said. “I thought we should (have scored more points). But we got the win and we have to go into next week and have some deep conversations and take lessons from that game because I felt we left a few points out on the field.”
The Highlanders started well, turning the Blues around early with deep kicks. But the Blues got their running game under way midway through the first half and from then on the Highlanders had to tackle relentlessly, more than 200 tackles in all.
The Blues had 86 percent of possession in the first 20 minutes of the second half and set scrum after scrum inside the Highlanders’ 22. The Highlanders conceded five consecutive scrum penalties before prop Jermaine Ainsley was sent to the sin bin.
But the Highlanders replaced Ainsley and bulldozed the Blues scrum at the next opportunity. The advantage of possession was still with the Blues in the last quarter but the Highlanders began to achieve more parity.
“We gave it our best, we gave a lot of heart but we couldn’t quite nail it,” Highlanders captain Billy Harmon said.
Highlanders and All Blacks scrumhalf Aaron Smith was replaced in the 65th minute, likely bringing to an end his Super Rugby career after 185 games. He is the second-most capped Super Rugby player of all time.
