Well, the Blues (Who were without Tom Robinson (Concussion) & Ofa Tu'ungafasi (Knee) through injury) triumph their 1st Super Rugby title since 2003 (Which featured the likes of Carlos Spencer as well as Joe Rokocoko, Mils Muliaina (Future Sky Sport rugby commentator), Rico Gear, Doug Howlett, Ali Williams, Kees Meeuws & Keven Mealamu in which they beat the Crusaders (Which also featured the likes of Justin Marshall (Also future Sky Sport rugby commentator along with Muliaina), Dan Carter (Once the world's best number 10 & the current holder for the world's leading test points scorer), Aaron Mauger, Leon McDonald (Future Blues coach), Scott Robertson (Future Crusaders coach), Richie McCaw (Best All Black we have ever produced), Reuben Thorne, Chris Jack, Brad Thorn (Future Reds coach), Greg Somerville & Mark Hammett) in the final during the Super 12 era) in which they comprehensively won the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman title (Including that try that has surely won the game for the Blues by reserve back rower for the Blues, Blake Gibson which proved to be the game changer/turning point after the Blues had a successful counter ruck before Blues number 8 Hoskins Sotutu made a searing break then the Blues reserve halfback of Jonathan Ruru (Who just come on for starting Blues halfback (And former Chiefs & Hurricanes player as well as Tasman Mako) of Finlay Christie (Who had a wonderful match to remember) passed the ball to Gibson who dotted it down for the try to put the final beyond doubt & to put the Highlanders out of reach but there was a yellow card by the Highlanders co-captain of Ash Dixon who had to spend 10 minutes in the bin in the 24th minute for causing a high tackle on Otere Black (He was taken off for an HIA during the 1st half with Harry Plummer replaced him before passing his Head Injury Assessment to return to the field to replace Plummer (Who came back on in the 2nd half to replace Black again & had been kicking like a machine as he nailed 3 shots at goal out of 3 attempts in which he scored both penalty goals & a conversion) but Blues winger Bryce Heem (Who got blocked by Jona Nareki (Who could be the next big thing in New Zealand rugby (Well, I like to see Nareki partnering Sevu Reece in the left wing position for the AB's) but most people think that Crusaders winger Leicester Fainga'anuku as the most preferred All Black left winger with Caleb Clarke now with the All Blacks sevens in preparation for the Tokyo Olympics) before making contact with Mitch Hunt) might have escaped a sin binning offence for tackling a player in the air on Hunt in the 31st minute after getting in the way by Nareki in which the Highlanders have been awarded a penalty but that was a little bit unlucky for Heem) against the Highlanders (Who put up a fair fight during the final but they missed out as they lost the match by 8 points) in the final (Man this is like a Rugby World Cup final because of that test match quality vibe) in front of 36,000 people (Where Andy & Kelsey (Who are due to be here in Whanganui Friday thru Monday (Along with Kelsey's parents John & Rhonda) but I can't wait to see both of them) went (Just like I went to that Teeks concert by filling in for Jans who had to pull out due to illness on the 12th of June with Carole & Pops but Dad (Who I sat next to him during the concert) & Raewyn was there) when Carole told Pops during our dinner last night at her place) at the garden of Eden at Eden Park in the city of sails of Tamaki Makaurau in Auckland so here is the live updates of the historic 1st ever Super Rugby Trans-Tasman final according to Newshub:
Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman final between the Blues and Highlanders at Auckland's Eden Park.
Yes, you read that correctly - the Crusaders' string of five Super Rugby titles (3 Super Rugby championships in 2017, 2018 & 2019 & 2 Super Rugby Aotearoa titles in both last year (2020) & this year (2021) that the Crusaders won) has ended, after they failed to achieve the necessary points differential in their final regular season game against Melbourne Rebels last week.
There will be no 'Razor' Robertson breakdance tonight!
Instead, the Blues will have a chance to live up to pre-season expectations, when many thought they might finally challenge the southerners' supremacy, after nearly two decades of under-achievement.
Or perhaps the perennial underdog Highlanders can ambush their highly fancied rivals on their home turf.
Blues: 1-Alex Hodgman, 2-Kurt Eklund, 3-Nepo Laulala, 4-Patrick Tuipulotu (c), 5-Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 6-Akira Ioane, 7-Dalton Papalii, 8-Hoskins Sotutu, 9-Finlay Christie, 10-Otere Black, 11-Mark Telea, 12-TJ Faiane, 13-Rieko Ioane, 14-Bryce Heem, 15-Zarn Sullivan
Reserves: 16-Ray Niuia, 17-Karl Tu’inukuafe, 18-Marcel Renata, 19-Josh Goodhue, 20-Blake Gibson, 21-Jonathan Ruru, 22-Harry Plummer, 23-AJ Lam
Highlanders: 1-Ethan de Groot, 2-Ash Dixon (cc), 3-Siate Tokolahi, 4-Pari Pari Parkinson, 5-Bryn Evans, 6-Hugh Renton, 7-Billy Harmon, 8-Kazuki Himeno, 9-Aaron Smith (cc), 10-Mitch Hunt, 11-Jona Nareki, 12-Scott Gregory, 13-Michael Collins, 14-Sio Tomkinson, 15-Josh Ioane
Reserves: 16-Liam Coltman, 17-Ayden Johnstone, 18-Josh Hohneck, 19-Josh Dickson, 20-James Lentjes, 21-Kayne Hammington, 22-Sam Gilbert, 23-Teariki Ben-Nicholas
4:34 PM: Train services to Eden Park for the big final may be delayed by the after-affects of the tornado that hit South Auckland on Saturday morning, so leave early for the game, if you plan on using rail transport.
Kiwi Rail is advising cancellations to services on southern and eastern lines, while Auckland Transport advises fans to make alternative transport plans to the game.
6:00 PM: Auckland Transport updates confirm additional trains will operate for the game tonight. Happy travels!
7:00 PM: Ash Dixon will lead out the Highlanders for his 100th game with the franchise. He will be key tonight and leads his team in a haka challenge.
No haka from the Blues.
1ST MINUTE: Mike Fraser will referee the final. Highlanders kick off and Sullivan makes the first run. Christie clears his 22, but Highlanders still on attack.
SCRUM: Papali'i rips the ball away, but there's a knock on and Highlanders will feed the first scrum.
2ND MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): From the scrum, Ioane kicks through, but into touch.
3RD MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Cowley-Tuioti wins the first lineout and the Blues carry from their own 22. Christie kicks out on the full, handing advantage back to Highlanders.
4TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Parkinson wins the lineout for Highlanders and the forwards drive forward. Harmon makes a halfbreak to within 10m of the line.
PENALTY: Hodgman concedes a penalty in the shadow of the posts.
5TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), PENALTY GOAL HIGHLANDERS: Hunt lines up a penalty from in front of the posts and slots it, HIG 3-0
6TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Sullivan restarts long and Hunt clears his own 22. Blues win a lineout, but a pass goes loose in midfield.
Nareki chips ahead, but out on the full.
7TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Blues win their own lineout (just) and build an attack on halfway. Black kicks high.
8TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), SCRUM: Josh Ioane is held up in a maul, but Highlanders win the scrum feed.
10TH MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER): Big shove from the Blues pack, but Smith kicks from the scrum. Tuipulotu wins the lineout and the forwards maul forward.
Christie kicks high and Telea rises high to claim it. Faiane makes a break, but Tuipulotu can't gather the pass.
11TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), PENALTY: Hunt kicks high and chases, but he's penalized for shoving Christie aside.
12TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Blues forwards probe upcentrefield, but Sullivan's pass to Heem is wayward and the ball dribbles into touch.
Scrum is held up, as Tokolahi gets his knee heavily strapped.
13TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), PENALTY: Blues explode the scrum and get a penalty inside Highlanders territory. Black kicks to the corner.
14TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Sotutu wins the lineout and the Blues try to maul to the line. Highlanders upset the drive.
15TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), PENALTY: Blues losing big ground, but playing under advantage and Fraser brings them back. Crowd given as 36,000 - not bad for Auckland.
16TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), TRY BLUES: Try to Telea
Blues take the scrum option five metres out, seeking another big push. They decimate the Highlanders. Black kicks across field for Telea, who has to backtrack to catch it and then sidestep the last defender (Ioane) to score in the corner.
CONVERSION: Black's sideline conversion is good, BLU 7-3
19TH MINUTE (3 MINUTES LATER): From the kickoff, Christie kicks high from his 22 and Sotutu puts pressue on the Highlanders. Sullivan kicks long and finds touch inside the Highlanders 22.
20TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Parkinson wins the lineout and Smith clears to halfway - big kick from the halfback.
21ST MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Blues on halfway and Christie kicks high.
22ND MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Blues have Highlanders pinned inside their own half and Nareki kicks long. Telea builds momentum.
23RD MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Blues go right and Heem takes a half gap, before a speculator pass. Black is down.
24TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), PENALTY: Fraser is playing advantage, but the Blues drive forward. Eventually, they come back for the penalty for a player went off his feet.
TMO REFERRAL & YELLOW CARD: Fraser checks foul play on Black and replays show Ash Dixon got him high with a shoulder. Dixon sees yellow and Highlanders are a man down for 10 minutes.
SUBSTITUTION & PENALTY GOAL BLUES: Plummer comes on for Black and lines up a kick at goal from in front of the posts with his first touch of the final - he slots it, BLU 10-3
26TH MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER): Hunt kicks high and Christie is safe under the ball. Blues spread it right and Heem makes good ground, before tossing the ball infield.
27TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Blues forwards drive towards the line, but Highlanders recover a loose ball and Nareki clears from behind his line.
28TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Eklund's throw to the lineout is not straight.
29TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): From the scrum, Highlanders kick deep, beyond the goal-line and Sullivan clears inside his own half. Coltman replaces Tomkinson to throw to the lineout.
30TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Blues steal Coltman's throw and stream forward. Heem chases a high kick and regains possession for his team.
31ST MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Christie puts up another high kick and there's a big collision. Heem and Nareki are jockeying each other, and Heem runs into Hunt, who is airborne to catch the ball.
TMO REFERRAL & PENALTY: After a long review and discussion among officials, Heem is penalized, but avoids a yellow card. Good call from the TMO.
32ND MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), SUBSTITUTION: Black has passed his HIA. Evans wins a lineout for the Highlanders and they maul forward.
33RD MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), PENALTY: Akira Ioane is penalized for tackling a man off the ball (Off the ball tackle) and Hunt will take a kick from in front of the posts.
34TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), PENALTY GOAL HIGHLANDERS: Hunt slots the penalty, as Dixon and Black both return to the field, BLU 10-6
35TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Highlanders control the kickoff and Smith kicks high, Black completely misses the catch. Hunt angles another kick to touch inside the Blues 22.
36TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Tuipulotu wins the defensive lineout and Christie clears near halfway.
37TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Parkinson wins a lineout and Highlanders maul forward, but Sotutu has stolen the ball and Faiane steams up centrefield.
SCRUM: He finds Heem in support, but he can't link up with Sullivan, who knocks a tough pass foward.
39TH MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER): Smith feeds a defensive scrum and the Blues forwards apply the pressure. Hunt clears near halfway and Blues build from the lineout.
40TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Black stabs a kick into the Highlanders 22 and his forwards steal the ball again. Rieko Ioane finds Akira with a dodgy pass, but the Blues stream towards the line.
PENALTY: Black kicks towards Heem, but the ball beats him dead. Fraser is playing advantage against De Groot at the breakdown (Ruck) and he eventually brings them back.
PENALTY GOAL BLUES: Black kicks the easy penalty, as halftime arrives, BLU 13-6
1ST HALF
41ST MINUTE: No changes at halftime, as Black kicks off for the second half.
Smith kicks high, but Rieko Ioane gathers the loose ball. Sullivan kicks towards Hunt, who is caught outside the 22.
42ND MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Blues lineout in Highlanders territory, they win it and drive forward.
Black dummies and eventually offloads to Sotutu.
43RD MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Akira Ioane drives over the tryline, but is held up. Highlanders goal-line dropout.
44TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Hunt kicks and Blues charge back towards the 22, through Sotutu.
PENALTY: Parkinson is offside (Never onside), but as the Blues play on, Rieko Ioane finds a gap and threatens to create a try. Nareki intercepts, but Fraser brings them back for the penalty.
45TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), PENALTY GOAL MISS: Black hooks his penalty from in front, that could be costly.
46TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Highlanders regather Hunts dropout and launch an attack from their 22. Hunt angles another kick upfield and finds touch on the full - they come back to the Highlanders 10 for the lineout.
48TH MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER): Blues win an untidy lineout and Black puts up a high kick that is gathered by Heem, who throws it away.
From broken play, Telea bumps off a tackle and makes good ground.
49TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Blues just outside the 22, building phases. Heem puts Papali'i in the clear with the line in sight, but the pass is forward.
50TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), SUBSTITUTION: Johnstone and Coltman come on for De Groot and Dixon. Tu'inukuafe replaces Hodgman for the Blues.
Smith kicks high, Highlanders get the ball back, but its untidy. Nareki kicks ahead, but Sullivan kicks back with interest.
Hunt scrambles the ball out on the 22, so a net gain for the Blues.
51ST MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), SUBSTITUTION: Laulala leaves, replaced by Renata in the Blues front row.
SCRUM: Blues win the lineout and maul to the 22. Faiane surges towards the line, Renata is stopped short and Sotutu loses the ball forward over the line.
53RD MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER), PENALTY: Smith feeds a defensive scrum under his posts, the Blues shove forward, but are penalized.
54TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), SUBSTITUTION: Hunt clears beyond the 22, Hohneck and Lentjes replace Tokolahi and Renton for the Highlanders.
PENALTY: Coltman throws long to Nareki, who is nailed by Papali'i. Highlanders earn a clearing penalty at the breakdown (Or ruck), but Fraser reverses the penalty for a no clear release (Tackler not releasing).
Black kicks to the corner.
55TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Blues win the lineout, as replays suggest Fraser was right the first time.
56TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), PENALTY: Blues mount an attack, but Renata is penalized for holding on (Not releasing ball). That's a make-up call... the ball never lies.
57TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), FREE KICK (SHORT ARM PENALTY): Coltman's throw to the lineout is not straight, but Fraser whistles the Blues for an early lift. Highlanders opt for another lineout, as Tuipulotu is replaced by Josh Goodhue.
58TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Blues are never onside (Offside), as Nareki finds a half gap. Smith tries to put Nareki through a gap, but he's nailed.
PENALTY: Fraser brings them back for the penalty...
59TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), PENALTY GOAL HIGHLANDERS: Hunt lines up a kick at goal from 30m, straight in front, and slots it, BLU 13-9
61ST MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER), PENALTY: From the kickoff, Himeno drives forward and Collins is barely grabbed from behind. Smith wants a penalty and gets one on his own side of halfway.
62ND MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Hunt finds touch on the Blues 22 and Highlanders win the lineout.
Highlanders forwards maul forwards, just 10m out.
63RD MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), PENALTY: Fraser playing advantage, as the Highlanders close on the line. Blues defence is huge and they come back for the penalty on Akira Ioane.
64TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), SUBSTITUTION: Goodhue is leaving the field and Tuipulotu comes back for the Blues. Hunt slips over, but slots the penalty and suddenly, the Blues are just a point ahead, BLU 13-12
65TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), PENALTY: Smith kicks into Blues territory and the Highlanders defence rushes up, earning a penalty at the ruck. This is inside the Blues half and Josh Ioane points to the posts.
66TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), PENALTY GOAL BLUES: From 45m out, Ioane slots the penalty to take the lead, HIG 15-13
69TH MINUTE (3 MINUTES LATER), PENALTY & SUBSTITUTION: From the kickoff, the Blues win a penalty Highlanders territory. Plummer has replaced Black, so he will take an angled kick for goal.
70TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), PENALTY GOAL BLUES: Plummer is not a kicker you bet your house on, but this one bisects the posts and the Blues go ahead again, BLU 16-15
72ND MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER), SCRUM: Faiane turns the ball over from a lineout win and the Highlanders have a chance. They earn a scrum for the knock-on.
73RD MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Blues monster the scrum, but Smith darts with the ball. Highlanders knock on and Blues have a scrum in their own territory.
75TH MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER), PENALTY: Ruru feeds the scrum, which collapses. Fraser plays some advantage, but brings them back for the penalty against Highlanders.
76TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), TRY BLUES: Try to Gibson
Sullivan kicks to touch for an attacking lineout on the 10, but the Highlanders snaffle the throw. Blues counter-ruck and Sotutu charges towards the line.
Gibson is next cab off the rank and dives over. Surely that's the clincher.
78TH MINUTE (2 MINUTES LATER), CONVERSION: Plummer slots his conversion from near touch and that may be too big a hurdle for the Highlaners, BLU 23-15
79TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER), PENALTY: From the kickoff, Blues forwards control the ball, but concede a penalty for not releasing ball (Holding on) on their side of halfway. Hunt kicks to the corner.
80TH MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Evans in the lineout and Gilbert runs off the back. Highlanders have an advantage and Hunt attempts a drop kick that misses.
PENALTY: Fraser brings them back for an advantage for a tackler not releasing (No clear release) and Hunt kicks to touch after the siren. They can't win from here, but they can still score.
SUBSTITUTION: We just heard that Samoan Ray Niuia who has been told by the 4th official to come onto the field is on the park for Kurt Eklund in the dying seconds of the match.
80TH MINUTE + 1ST MINUTE (1 MINUTE LATER): Evans wins another lineout and the forwards maul towards the line, but Fraser whistles it over.
Blues celebrate their first title in 18 years (And in the famous words of Sky sport rugby commentator (And the other voice of New Zealand rugby) Tony Johnson (Who was with Justin Marshall & former New Zealand rugby sevens legend Karl Te Nana as part of the Sky Sport commentary team in the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman final) in commentary ''That's it, for no more wins, after 18 years, the Blues, have a trophy to put in the cabinet'' And I wonder the headlines would probably say: BLUES END 18 YEAR WAIT OF SR TITLES or more like: BLUES PUT HIGHLANDERS TO SWORD).
2ND HALF
BLUES 23 HIGHLANDERS 15
BLUES: Telea & Gibson tries; Black conversion & penalty, Plummer 2 penalties & conversion
HIGHLANDERS: Hunt 4 penalties, Ioane penalty
So that is my 423rd blog of the year 2021 (MMXXI) & my 43rd of this year.
P.S. And it was on Wednesday that me, Pops & Carole went to Japanese Takeaway Momiji (My 2nd favourite restaurant in Whanganui behind Caroline's & ahead of Thai Villa (My 3rd favorite ahead of Rutland Arms (Which is my 4th favorite ahead of Frank Bar) where we always have the Chicken Katsu Bento Box then a day later on Carole's birthday, we went to Frank Bar on Carole's 69th birthday to have the Mediterranean lamb burger that I had a day before I had Chicken Tikka Masala (My favorite Indian meal) for dinner at our place while Pops had the Butter Chicken a day before me, Carole & Pops had pasta with salad for dinner (Just because I wanted Italian for dinner because Italian is always my favorite ahead of Indian, Japanese, Thai & Mexican) just before the rugby began last night (I had a sausage sizzle & sushi for lunch yesterday after Pops went to the river traders market).
