Blues 19 Hurricanes 17
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The Blues won a heart-stopping Super 14 rugby contest over the Hurricanes 19-17 in Auckand tonight, a result that failed to confirm the playoff fate of sides.
The Hurricanes remained second on the table, while the Blues climbed to third, but both teams are at the mercy of results over the rest of the weekend.
Both could still make the top four, with the Hurricanes getting a home semifinal, but both could also miss out altogether.
The match featured torrid defence by both sides.
With the clock winding down, the Hurricanes tried to snap victory via the drop goal route, but first five-eighth Willie Ripia missed with three attempts in final three minutes.
The match in front of a bumper crowd of 37,352 at Eden Park began slowly, but built to high intensity in the second half.
The Blues dominated the opening exchanges, which featured plenty of kicking for position, especially from the home side, who got on the scoreboard first via a Nick Evans penalty.
But the Hurricanes swung the contest around with two converted tries in a minute, winger Hosea Gear grabbing both.
The first came out of nothing after the Hurricanes' backline had fluffed a move.
Gear grabbed the loose ball and the Blues' defence offered little resistance as he ran in an arc towards the goalline.
He got his second when he charged down a clearing kick from Evans and the ball popped up nicely for him to score.
At 14-3 down the Blues struck back quickly, stringing together some phases before lock Anthony Boric powered over.
Both teams finished the first half with 14 men, the Blues having No 8 Nick Williams sinbinned for repeated offending at the breakdown, while Hurricane Tamati Ellison was yellow carded for obstruction.
The call on Ellison, a late inclusion at fullback to replace Cory Jane, for impeding winger David Smith during a kick-and-chase seemed a harsh one.
Two further Evans penalties to one from opposition halfback Piri Weepu closed the margin to just a point at halftime.
Early in the second half, Gear went from scoring to saving a try, as he and centre Conrad Smith held up David Smith over the line.
From the same attack, flanker Jerome Kaino was forced out by prop Tim Fairbrother and Weepu before he could get the ball down.
Next, it was the turn of hooker Keven Mealamu to be held up as the Hurricanes produced some heroic defence.
The Blues finally hit the front with 20 minutes to when Evans landed another penalty for a high tackle.
The Hurricanes almost went back ahead shortly after when Ripia snatched an intercept and tore downfield with second five-eighth Ma'a Nonu in support.
The ball went to Nonu, who was dragged down from behind by first five-eighth Isa Nacewa just short of the line.
The Hurricanes then spent a sustained period in the Blues' territory, but could not sneak ahead.
Only competition leaders the Crusaders are guaranteed a playoff spot.
Attention now turns to the Waratahs' match against the Reds in Brisbane tomorrow night.
The three other remaining playoff contenders - the Stormers, the Sharks and the Chiefs - are all in action in South Africa on Sunday morning (NZ time).
The Stormers visit the bottom-placed Lions, while the Sharks and Chiefs face off in Durban.
Blues 19 (Anthony Boric, try; Nick Evans, 4 pen, con) Hurricanes 17 (Hosea Gear, 2 tries; Piri Weepu, pen, 2 con). Halftime: 16-17.
- NZPA
