Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
Patrick Tuipulotu, left, and Dalton Papalii have finally shaken off injuries to return to action for the Blues.
The Blues are clearly not buying into the woeful Waratahs storyline, returning their two fit-again All Blacks to active duty and making just three changes to the starting XV that put a half-century past the Rebels last Saturday. The bookies have the Blues as unbackable favourites to become the 10th straight team to wallop the winless Waratahs in 2021 when they run out on Saturday at Eden Park (4.35pm kickoff) for their second game of this Super Rugby Trans-Tasman competition.
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Blues 50 Rebels 3
FULLTIME
The siren goes. The Rebels have been put out of their misery. The Blues take the victory.
78 mins
The Blues want more. The forwards move the ball to the right inside the Rebels 22, only for Koroibete to absolutely smash Laulala!
Great defence from the Fijian flyer!
75 mins - TRY BLUES
The lineout throw is horrible, and Nock accepts it gratefully.
The Blues build forward before Akira Ioane has another crack at the line, and this time he gets a second!
Plummer can bring up the Blues half century, and does.
Sky Super Rugby Transtasman: Brilliant Blues run riot in big win over Rebels
15 May, 2021 11:55 AM
4 minutes to read
Finlay Christie of the Blues makes a break against the Rebels. Photo / Getty
Blues 50
Rebels 3
The Blues savoured a return to transtasman relations by running riot in Melbourne on Saturday night.
After winning two of the last six games in their disappointing Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign, the Blues reduced the Rebels to a bumbling mess to highlight the disparity in opposition and maintain New Zealand s four-from-four record to start the transtasman competition.
The Blues scrum, led by powerful All Blacks prop Karl Tu inukuafe s best performance of the season, destroyed the Rebels to set the tone for the statement performance. There was no respite when Ofa Tuungafasi and Nepo Laulala came off the bench, either.
Sky Super Rugby Transtasman: Blues coach Leon MacDonald misses training ahead of Rebels clash in Melbourne
13 May, 2021 02:50 AM
5 minutes to read
NZ Herald Focus Sport s Cheree Kinnear gives everything you need to know ahead of Super Rugby Transtasman. Video / NZ Herald
NZ Herald Focus Sport s Cheree Kinnear gives everything you need to know ahead of Super Rugby Transtasman. Video / NZ Herald
Liam Napier is a sports writer for NZMELiam.Napier@nzherald.co.nz
Leon MacDonald s absence from training on Thursday adds another layer of intrigue to an opening round transtasman match in Melbourne the Blues are heavily favoured to win.