Rugby: Gamble costs Blues vital win in Super 15

Jerome Kaino, playing in his 100th match for the Blues, was at his rampaging best against the Cheetahs. Photo: GALLO IMAGES

The Blues are becoming good at finding new and unusual ways to lose in the Super 15.

After three matches this season they remain winless, their chance at securing a first victory of the season - an away win at that - disappearing when Ihaia West's last-ditch dropped goal attempt drifted wide of the posts at Bloemfontein yesterday.

Yet this 25-24 defeat to the Cheetahs will hurt more than most. While the Blues again played a part in their own demise, they were also desperately unlucky to concede the penalty with three minutes remaining which Joe Pietersen gleefully took to give his side a lead they probably didn't deserve.

Referee Rohan Hoffman's decision to penalise them on a lineout maul technicality - the Blues refused to engage, meaning the Cheetahs' forwards were effectively offside - resulted in a shrill blast on Hoffman's whistle in favour of the home side. Last week the same tactic against the Stormers paid big dividends for the Blues. This time it, and Hoffman's ruling, effectively cost them victory.

"Pretty gut-wrenching would be the word," said coach John Kirwan, whose side were heading for only their third away victory in three seasons. "We felt we'd done everything right. We felt it was a pretty harsh penalty, to be honest.

"The boys are a little bit bewildered by it but we have to accept the referee saw something different."

Skipper Jerome Kaino, outstanding at No 8 in his milestone 100th match, thought Hoffman might have made the decision due to Luke Braid's backtracking from the lineout, yet Braid was in a halfback role at the set piece.

The Blues will have to look at how they found their way to that lineout. Up to that point, they had done well in playing for territory only to concede a scrum at which prop Sam Prattley was penalised for a clearly illegal bind. The resulting clearance was the beginning of the end.

A week earlier against the Stormers, they were as good as done when Hayden Triggs was sent off for punching. A week before that, two soft tries to the Chiefs left them with too much to do.

This one was cruel on the Blues, though, because in Kaino, Charlie Faumuina and Patrick Tuipulotu they had three of the game's outstanding players. Kaino, picking up the third try which put the Blues right back in it, was at his rampaging best. The busy Faumuina showed brilliant skills in taking Tuipulotu's offload one-handed to score and Tuipulotu himself was a constant danger.

Charles Piutau played well closer to the action at centre, and fullback Lolagi Visinia showed invention and aggression on the counter.

The Blues now have to pick themselves up and prepare for next Saturday's match against the Lions at North Harbour. With only two competition points, and a run of tough away matches to follow, they are in a deep hole.

Cheetahs 25 (Cornal Hendricks 2, Sarel Pretorius tries; Joe Pietersen 2 cons, 2 pens) Blues 24 (Luke Braid, Charlie Faumuina, Jerome Kaino tries; Ihaia West 3 cons, pen).
Halftime: 12-14.