Super Rugby Pacific Recap: Blues vs. Brumbies In a thrilling encounter at Eden Park, the Blues emerged victorious over the Brumbies 24-17 in the opening round of Super Rugby Pacific. First Half: The Brumbies started brightly, taking an early 5-0 lead through a penalty from Noah Lolesio. However, the Blues responded quickly with a try from winger Caleb Clarke, who capitalized on an error from the Brumbies. Blues fly-half Stephen Perofeta converted to give the hosts a 7-5 lead. The match was evenly contested for the remainder of the first half, with both teams trading blows. Brumbies center Irae Simone scored a try after a sustained period of pressure, but Perofeta kicked another penalty to level the scores at 10-10. Second Half: The second half opened with a flurry of points. First, Blues scrum-half Finlay Christie dotted down after a quick tap, and then Perofeta extended the lead with a penalty. The Brumbies kept fighting, and a try from winger Tom Wright brought them back within striking distance at 20-17. However, the Blues defense held firm in the closing stages, and a penalty from Perofeta sealed the win. Key Moments: * Caleb Clarke’s try gave the Blues early momentum. * Noah Lolesio’s penalty extended the Brumbies’ lead in the second half. * Tom Wright’s try brought the Brumbies within three points. * Finlay Christie’s quick tap try put the Blues back in control. * The Blues defense held strong to deny the Brumbies a potential equalizer. Standout Performers: * Caleb Clarke (Blues): Scored a crucial try and made several strong runs. * Finlay Christie (Blues): Was lively from scrum-half and scored a key try. * Stephen Perofeta (Blues): Controlled the game with his kicking and steered the Blues to victory. * Jahrome Brown (Brumbies): Made several impressive runs and was a constant threat. * Tom Wright (Brumbies): Scored a try and was a threat on the wing. Conclusion: The Blues secured a hard-fought victory over the Brumbies in the opening round of Super Rugby Pacific. Both teams showed plenty of attacking flair, but the Blues’ ability to take their chances proved to be the difference. With the win, the Blues move to the top of the standings, while the Brumbies will look to bounce back next week.Blues Triumph in Super Rugby Pacific Semi-FinalBlues Triumph in Super Rugby Pacific Semi-Final The Auckland Blues claimed a convincing victory over the Brumbies in the Super Rugby Pacific semi-final at Eden Park on Saturday. As the higher-ranked team, the Blues were strong favorites heading into the match, having finished second in the regular season and boasting an undefeated home record in 2024. Relive the Excitement Follow the full recap of the action-packed match through RNZ’s comprehensive live blog: [iframe live blog link] Team Lineups Blues: 1. Ofa Tu’ungafasi 2. Ricky Riccitelli 3. Marcel Renata 4. Sam Darry 5. Josh Beehre 6. Akira Ioane 7. Dalton Papali’i (c) 8. Hoskins Sotutu 9. Finlay Christie 10. Harry Plummer 11. Caleb Clarke 12. AJ Lam 13. Rieko Ioane 14. Mark Tele’a 15. Stephen Perofeta Brumbies: 15. Tom Wright 14. Andy Muirhead 13. Len Ikitau 12. Tamati Tua 11. Corey Toole 10. Noah Lolesio 9. Ryan Lonergan 8. Charlie Cale 7. Rory Scott 6. Rob Valetini 5. Tom Hooper 4. Darcy Swain 3. Allan Alaalatoa (c) 2. Billy Pollard 1. James SlipperThe Blues and Brumbies played a thrilling match in the Super Rugby Pacific competition, with the Blues ultimately emerging victorious with a score of 24-22. The match was played in Auckland, New Zealand, and was a closely fought battle from start to finish. The Blues started the match strongly, scoring the first try through winger Caleb Clarke in the 10th minute. The Brumbies responded with a try of their own just minutes later through fly-half Noah Lolesio. The teams traded penalties for the remainder of the half, with the Blues holding a narrow 13-10 lead at halftime. The second half was just as tight, with both teams showing plenty of attacking intent. The Blues extended their lead to 20-10 with a try from prop Ofa Tu’ungafasi in the 50th minute, but the Brumbies hit back with a try from hooker Billy Pollard in the 60th minute. With time running out, the Brumbies looked to have snatched a dramatic victory when replacement fly-half Bayley Kuenzle scored a try in the corner. However, the Blues managed to hold on for a narrow two-point win, with the Brumbies ultimately unable to convert Kuenzle’s try. The win was a crucial one for the Blues, who moved to the top of the Super Rugby Pacific standings with their third win from three matches. The Brumbies, meanwhile, dropped to 2-2 for the season. The Blues will next face the Melbourne Rebels in Melbourne on March 13, while the Brumbies will host the Queensland Reds in Canberra on the same day.