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The Blues emerged on the right side of the ledger in another close Super 14 rugby pre-season match last night, beating the Queensland Reds 26-24 at Trusts Stadium, Waitakere.
Having lost their previous matches 19-14 to the Hurricanes and 21-17 to the Chiefs, the Blues bounced back from a ragged first half, boosted by the injection of a trio of All Blacks.
Isaia Toeava, Jerome Kaino and Tony Woodcock all made their first appearances of 2009 and helped their team overcome a 14-7 halftime deficit.
Both teams scored four tries but the Blues kicked three conversions to the two of the Reds, who were fielding a host of unfamiliar players in their new-look squad.
Among the visitors was Daniel Braid, the long-serving Blues openside flanker who has crossed the Tasman this season.
Braid was an influential figure before being replaced at halftime, playing a hand in tries to first five-eighths Quade Cooper and centre Anthony Faingaa.
The home side's only points in the first stanza was an early try to fullback Paul Williams.
They lifted their intensity and played more conventionally for territory after the break, pulling away through tries to flanker Kaino, winger Rene Ranger and halfback Taniela Moa.
The Reds crossed for the final two tries, through bollocking No 8 Leroy Houston and winger Blair Connor.
The Blues' fourth and final pre-season match will be against the Highlanders in Albany on Thursday.
The Crusaders once again staged a late comeback to beat the Highlanders 40-17 in Timaru yesterday.
It was ultimately a convincing victory but it took the arrival of 10 reserves to turn the game for the Crusaders, who trailed by 17 points at the start of the second third. They scored 40 unanswered points from there.
Last week against the Western Force in Perth the Crusaders came from 14 points down to run out winners.
- NZPA
