Not pretty, but Blues finally notch a win

Blues 25

Lions 3

At last, long last, the Blues can look down on a team below them on the Super Rugby ladder.

It didn't come soon enough to save Pat Lam his job as coach - his position for 2013 will be advertised - but it lifts a little of the gloom around Eden Park.

Admittedly the win came against the Lions, the franchise who now occupy the bottom rung on the ladder, but it was a win and one of those hadn't come since the 29-23 defeat of the Bulls in Pretoria on March 11.

In truth, they should have won much more easily. They dominated the opening half but often muddled their way through.

Their first-half try was their best, when Michael Hobbs scored after a good scoot up the middle from Piri Weepu, but a rare highlight as the Blues made too many errors. They would push a forward pass 2m out from the Lions' line and, with an overlap, spill the ball or concede a silly penalty.

It was a symptom of their season and it didn't help that Gareth Anscombe, who was otherwise an intelligent operator, missed more kicks than he landed and the scoreboard didn't tick over as often as it should.

They at least brought a degree of intensity often missing this season and that was no better exemplified by the Braid brothers and skipper Luke scored at the final hooter.

But the Blues needed to do that for their coach. If they couldn't get up for this match, just two days after learning Lam had been roasted, then little, it seems, motivates them.

The most important thing was they won, they didn't care what it looked like, but it was against a dreadful side who probably won't be around next season. The Lions rarely threatened, scoring their only points in the sixth minute through the boot of Elton Jantjies.

Ridiculously, they had gone into the match ahead of the Blues on the ladder by virtue of having banked points for two bye rounds as opposed to the Blues' one. They are now in their rightful place.

Tony Woodcock started for the Blues and their scrum was one of the best aspects of their game. They regularly pushed the Lions backwards but that all changed when Woodcock went off after 55 minutes to be followed two minutes later by Charlie Faumuina with a calf injury.

It was a cruel blow for Faumuina, who is thought to be in All Blacks contention.

The Blues scrum went backwards with James Parsons, Tom McCartney and Angus Ta'avao packing down but even then the Lions weren't good enough to take advantage.

The Blues will come under pressure next weekend when they head to Christchurch to face the Crusaders but they go in as winners.

Blues 25 (Michael Hobbs, Alby Mathewson, Luke Braid tries; Gareth Anscombe 2 cons, 2 pens) Lions 3 (Elton Jantjies pen). HT: 10-3.