Rugby: Blues run amok against clawless Lions

Anthony Tuitavake of the Blues breaks through a Lions tackle during the round nine Super 14 match between the Blues and the Lions at Eden Park. Photo / Getty Images

The Blues cut loose against the Lions to win a hopelessly one-sided Super 14 rugby match 36-12 in Auckland tonight.

The South Africans barely fired a shot against the error-prone hosts at Eden Park, crossing twice late against a Blues side who possessed the worst defensive record in the competition before tonight.

Despite dominating all facets in the first half, the Blues led just 12-0 at halftime, not helped by a swag of handling errors on a slippery surface.

That facet improved after a halftime blast from coach Pat Lam and they powered in for four of their six tries, including two to winger Rudi Wulf, playing his first game of the campaign after overcoming a wrist injury.

The bonus point win lifts the Blues to fifth early in round nine and eyeballing a crucial match at the same venue in a week against the Highlanders.

Of concern is that the Blues' injury list appears to be growing, with All Blacks prop John Afoa hobbling off late while halves Chris Smylie and Tasesa Lavea were also replaced.

The 12th-placed Lions, who haven't won in New Zealand since 2001, were on the back foot from the start. They lacked direction after losing captain and Springboks centre Jaque Fourie to injury after half an hour.

Their two bright points were brilliant consolation tries from winger Henno Mentz and reserve halfback Jano Vermaak although it was a far cry from last week's brave 36-29 loss to the Chiefs in Hamilton.

They fell off 35 tackles and allowed the Blues to offload at will, finding themselves constantly stretched by a backline revelling with a glut of front-foot ball.

First five-eighth Tasesa Lavea directed play cleverly while All Blacks strike runners Isaia Toeava and Anthony Tuitavake sliced through all night in the midfield.

Coming off the bye, the Blues didn't miss injured All Blacks tight forwards Tony Woodcock and Ali Williams, with the aggressive pack dominant around the field.

"It was a big turnaround after the bye week," captain Keven Mealamu told Sky Sports.

"We concentrated on the breakdown all week and really turned that around today.

"(The first-half handling was) Disappointing but we played in the right half of the field. Although we didn't score those points, it was good pressure to be putting on the opposition."

Halfback Chris Smylie, starting in place of Taniela Moa, crossed after 14 minutes of constant pressure from the kickoff and created the second with a 50m break, leading to Tuitavake crossing.

Wulf and fellow-winger Joe Rokocoko scored inside 10min of the restart while the last two tries came in the final 10min, through Wulf and replacement loose forward Peter Saili.

- NZPA