Rookie Taine Plumtree yesterday sparked an early second-half rally from the Auckland-based Blues which carried them to a 32-20 win over the Dunedin-based Highlanders in Super Rugby Pacific.
The Highlanders benefited from an error-ridden first-half performance from the Blues and from a penalty try at a collapsed maul to lead 13-3 at halftime.
Plumtree, in only his second Super Rugby start, launched the Blues’ rally in only the second minute of the second half when he deflected a Highlanders’ lineout throw and combined with his captain Dalton Papalii to score the Blues’ first try.
He scored again seven minutes later when a poor kick out of defense by the Highlanders allowed the Blues to mount a swift counterattack.
Winger Mark Telea fended off two tacklers near the line and handed off to Plumtree, who scored.
The Highlanders had cause to be aggrieved with two refereeing decisions leading up to the try.
The Blues were awarded a penalty close to the posts and Papalii pointed to the posts to indicate they would kick for goal.
They chose instead to kick for the corner and the try resulted, but the referee was obliged to hold Papalii to his original decision.
Telea, Bryce Heem and Rieko Ioane combined for a Ioane’s try in the 65th-minute which put the Blues ahead 25-13 and gave them command of the match.
The Highlanders managed a 74th-minute try to Shannon Frizell which caused the Blues some late anxiety.
The Blues lost their opening match to the Hurricanes through a last-minute try and only just held on last weekend to beat the Chiefs, who missed a potentially match-winning penalty after the full-time siren, but the Blues finally made the match safe with a try to Perofeta in the 78th minute.
That was still far from the end.
The match continued for more than 10 minutes after the siren had sounded as each team chased late tries.
The referee finally blew his whistle in the 91st minute.
“In the first half, that’s not how we wanted to start,” Papalii said.
“We knew coming into this that the Highlanders are one of the best teams at executing what they want,” he said.
The Blues were forced to make an important late change to their lineup for the match by an outbreak of COVID-19 within their squad.
All Blacks flyhalf Beauden Barrett was named to start in the No. 10 jersey, but was forced to withdraw.
In yesterday’s other match, the Brumbies beat the Rebels 36-17 in Melbourne.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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