Twenty-one years after Carlos Spencer dazzled to lead the Blues to a Super Rugby title over the Crusaders, the men from Auckland are Super Rugby champions once again after a 41-10 demolition job over local rivals the Chiefs at Eden Park.
But far from the sparkling, razzle-dazzle days of Spencer, Doug Howlett and Joe Rokocoko, Vern Cotter’s Blues went back to route one in 2024 and with that broke a 21-year drought.
Cotter’s Blues have changed Super Rugby.
The Blues celebrate after defeating the Chiefs at Eden Park to take out the 2024 Super Rugby competition. Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
After decades of open, expansive and running rugby, the Blues under ‘Stern Vern’ have brought a hard edge not seen in the tournament before.
The soft underbelly that has previously undid the Blues washed away on one wet, miserable night in Auckland.
Yet nothing could dampen the spirit of the near-packed house in Auckland, who at last can celebrate once again.
Even Cotter smiled for the first time since arriving back on New Zealand shores after carving out a successful career abroad, including at Scotland. It only took until the final 90 seconds of the night and the season.
“Immense impact,” Blues skipper Patrick Tuipulotu described Cotter’s impact. “You can just see the way we play, especially with our forward play: very rugged, straight-forward and simple, which suits us. He’s had a massive impact on us.”
Vern Cotter and Mark Tele’a celebrate after taking out the 2024 Super Rugby title at Eden Park on June 22. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Caleb Clarke got the spoils, scoring a marvellous hat-trick as the bulldozer winger showed why he’ll be in Scott Robertson’s All Blacks squad despite an embarrassment of riches out wide.
For all the tries that the winger scored, it was the hard work and roll-up-your-sleeves attitude by the Blues’ pack that was the difference.
Tuipulotu delivered a captain’s knock.
The second-rower was supposed to miss the next month with a knee-injury but followed in the footsteps of Sam Whitelock a year ago to strap himself up and play. They make them different on the Shaky Isles.
Tuipulotu even broke the line with the ball-in-hand. It wasn’t to score a try but it was to continue the Blues’ opening momentum as they got on the front foot and stayed on it.
The captain wasn’t alone. His front-row trio of Ofa Tu’ungafasi, Ricky Riccitelli and Marcel Renata were magnificent.
Renata isn’t likely to be an All Black in July but the tight-head prop’s amazing early tackle to force a knock-on and then ability to get back on his feet and jump into acting scrum-half showed his desire.
Tuipulotu’s second-row partner Sam Darry continued his brilliant season, while the back-row trio of Akira Ioane, Dalton Papali’i and Hoskins Sotutu likely confirmed himself as the best number eight in the country.
“It’s been a long time coming,” Papili’i said. “I remember when I first came in the team and we were at the bottom and scraping to get in the top eight. But to stick in it and become champs: no words.”
Dalton Papali’i and Patrick Tuipulotu embrace at Eden Park, on June 22, 2024. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
While Blues fly-half Harry Plummer had a perfect night from the kicking tee, landing five conversions and two penalties to finish the night with 16 points.
After Damian McKenzie missed a long-range penalty from out wide in the opening minutes, the Blues dominated the match to record a five tries to one victory.
As well as Clarke’s hat-trick, Akira Ioane scored the game’s opening try in the 12th minute before AJ Lam finished the onslaught by crossing in the 73rd minute.
The Blues commanded every facet of the game: territory (68%), possession (66%) and forced the Chiefs into 253 attempted tackles.
Quite simply the Chiefs had no response to the Blues’ onslaught, as they were forced into errors and second-efforts and ultimately gave away 12 penalties.
“It was a very tough one out here tonight,” Chiefs skipper Luke Jacobson said. “Credit to the Blues, you guys played an awesome season and set [the tone] right from the get-go tonight and made it tough for us to stay in the game.”
