Rugby: Reds leave Blues black then blue

Taniela Moa of the Blues makes a break during the round 11 Super 14 match between the Blues and the Reds at North Harbour Stadium. Photo / Getty Images

The lights may have gone out on the Blues' Super 14 rugby season after a bumbling 31-24 loss to the inspired Queensland Reds in Albany tonight.

A power outage just moments after kickoff forced both teams from the field for nearly an hour and the Blues will wish the lights at North Harbour Stadium had stayed off.

Two points for an abandoned match would have matched what they ended up with anyway courtesy of two bonus points - they just would have avoided the embarrassment of a poor performance.

It was hard to believe the Blues were sixth and the Reds 13th coming into a fixture that was dominated by the visitors, who are surely contenders for the most inconsistent team in the competition.

With four straight losses under their belt - three of them heavy - the Reds turned on a master-class of attacking rugby that defied the wet, windy conditions.

While the Blues' handling matched the conditions, the Queenslanders attacked with verve from all over the field and could easily have scored more than their four tries - a figure eventually matched by the fast-finishing hosts.

It was a devastating result for the Blues, who blew a chance to go temporarily top of the table.

Their ball retention when playing into the wind was poor, allowing the more physical Reds - led admirably by lock and captain James Horwill - to camp in their territory and open up a 17-5 lead.

With the wind at their backs in the second spell, the Blues paid for some slack defence that allowed the Queensl and back division to createe scintillating tries to centre Digby Ioane and replacement winger Charlie Fetoai in the 47th and 50th minutes to blow the margin out.

Playing as if still stung by last week's 31-20 humbling by the Lions in Brisbane, the Reds played with vigour throughout and the final scoreline flattered the hosts.

Second five-eighth Berrick Barnes was an influential figure with his option-taking and five successful shots at goal for 11 points, while Ioane was power personified with ball in hand.

Anthony Boric as at the heart of a decent Blues tight five effort but they lacked cohesion behind the scrum, their cause not helped by an early knee injury to flanker Chris Lowrey which may well bring a premature end to his impressive Super rugby debut season.

That injury preceded the blackout, which forced both shivering teams to their changing rooms for 50 minutes.

Earlier, referee Vinny Munro had asked the captains if they wanted to play on. They did so for a couple of minutes before Blues skipper Justin Collins decided things could turn farcical, with his team trailing 3-0 in the fifth minute.

Barnes' early penalty was followed by his own try on the half-ho ur mark after a break from deep by fullback Mark McLinden.

Horwill made it 17-0 by driving over from close range but second five-eighth Isaia Toeava ended the half on a bright note for the Blues by slicing over.

Ioane and Fetoai's double stung the Blues, who eventually hit back with two quick tries of their own through lock Kurtis Haiu and reserve flanker Peter Saiili, who replaced Collins at halftime.

Needing two converted tries in the last 13 minutes to snare an undeserved draw, the Blues managed one to first five-eighth Jimmy Gopperth after the final hooter which gave them both bonus points but left them contemplating a treacherous three-game finishing stretch against the Hurricanes, ACT Brumbies and Crusaders.

- NZPA