Rugby: Waratahs' turn to celebrate

Blues winger Anthony Tuitavake in action against the Waratahs last night. Photo / Greg Bowker

Waratahs 27
Blues 22

It was always going to be a night of celebration. The only question was whether the hosts would crown Keven Mealamu's centenary of Super rugby matches or the invading Waratahs could crack their Auckland bogey.

The answer was not nailed down in favour of the Waratahs until the final phase last night at Eden Park in a match of desperate boiling intensity, plenty of endeavour, movement and mistakes.

In the washup, the Waratahs stopped their losing rot and created history while the Blues improved from their wretched work last week but still paid for their error rate.

A long opening period of Waratahs' intensity looked as though it would go unrewarded as the Blues tightened their defence and with help from an obstructed TMO view kept their line intact as visiting prop Ben Robinson drove for the line.

That threat over, the Blues lost concentration as new Waratah five-eighths Daniel Halangahu broke Tevita Mailau's tackle and had a soft stretch to make the line and convert his own try.

There were further concerns as Isaia Toeava tweaked his knee but greater alarm when his All Black teammate Ali Williams limped off with damage to his calf or Achilles tendon area.

Someone had to make a play if the Blues were to stay in the match. It came from crackerjack utlity threequarter Anthony Tuitavake who beat Sam Norton-Knight with a Dancing with the Stars shuffle in the narrow channel near the touchline, then fended off Rob Horne and scorched 35m for the touchdown.

There was plenty of tension building in the match as Toeava and Waratahs skipper Phil Waugh squared off and referee Craig Joubert had to deliver a series of lectures to quell some of the rising emotions.

Joubert was even more unpopular when he ruled out a try for Onosai Tololima-Auva'a because the Blues were offside during one of their rare attacking thrusts.

That pain was amplified when Luke Burgess intercepted a scrum pass from Jerome Kaino meant for his halfback and hared 30m to line with the sideline conversion adding to the concession.

When Wycliff Palu was sinbinned for a professional foul 10 minures shy of halftime the Blues were too impatient about their attacking chances with the extra man. They hurried plays, they failed to build the pressure and the Waratahs survived.

The punch and counter-punch theme continued when the Waratahs showed they could control their lineout and from the subsequent subterfuge close to the Blues line, Tatafu Polota-Nau was driven over.

Back the Blues came. Replacement midfielder Michael Hobbs scored, Gopperth goaled and anxiety levels rose for the frantic final 10 minutes.

Waratahs 27 (Daniel Halangahu, Luke Burgess, Tatafu Polota-Nau tries; Halangahu 2 pen, 3 con)

Blues 22 (Anthony Tuitavake, Onosa'i Auva'a, Michael Hobbs tries; Jimmy Gopperth pen, 2 con). HT: 17-8.