Joseph Parker defeated Junior Fa in their long awaited fight.
Video / Spark Sport
OPINION:
Take a bow, Blues forwards.
The quiet revolution turned up in the form of a steamroller in Wellington.
The Hurricanes weren't beaten in Super Rugby Aotearoa's opening round. They were bludgeoned into submission by Nepo Laulala, Ofa Tuungafasi, Akira Ioane, the proud, charismatic captain Patrick Tuipulotu and co.
Someof the straight ball running, from backs and forwards, was awesome even if the interlinking was off. I loved the way Rieko Ioane folded his arms after the match-sealing try.
Auckland-based rugby thrives when it is laced with arrogance on the field. Coming from the big smoke, you can't be the big dog with an underdog mentality.
Sean Fitzpatrick, Zinzan Brooke, Michael Jones, Carlos Spencer…they liked to crush opponents with athleticism and attitude in the good old days. In the absence of anything meaningful around the Blues for decades, this game felt like a trip down memory lane coming after the 2020 promise.
The Hurricanes were left to put on a masterclass in cynical cheating, to keep the score down.
Blues Akira Ioane is tackled by Hurricanes Jonathan Taumateine during their Super Rugby Aotearoa clash. Photosport
I'd still back the champs in a big gunfight for now, but the Blues have a team to challenge the Crusaders. It's as if a hibernating bear is rubbing the eyes.
The province which should be the most powerful in world rugby has decided it is going to be the most powerful. The Blues scrum was absolutely sensational.
I always believed that head coach Leon MacDonald and assistant Tom Coventry were the men to turn the franchise around - but there was a concern.
Insiders say Coventry is a man who would like to be a head coach. Then there was the Tana Umaga dilemma. An All Black great and former captain had been seriously demoted, from coach to some sort of water boy.
How would all this work?
It seems to be working fine. The promising 2020 season was not - if the opening round of 2021 is anything to go by - a flash in the pan.
The Blues' continuity and precision is still amateurish compared to Scott Robertson's champs at their best. But they are on the road to somewhere.
If Laulala remains fit - and that is a big if - the Blues scrum can challenge an area where the Crusaders impose so much authority.
But you still wouldn't fancy that Blues lineout against Sam Whitelock and Scott Barrett. No way.
Boxing on
The Parker-Barry combo has gone way further than most can dream about. Photo / Dean Purcell
This is not an attack on trainer Kevin Barry, a boxing icon and unique character in New Zealand sport.
But nobody could look at the Joseph Parker-Junior Fa fight and say Parker has improved as a boxer.
He looked well prepared, but about as threatening as an undercard battler by world heavyweight standards.
Maybe it's chemistry. Maybe the Parker-Barry relationship is too close. Maybe the massive payday from the Anthony Joshua fight helped take an edge of his desperation. Maybe Parker needed to get out of Las Vegas and take a gamble. Maybe it's hard to truly explain.
This isn't a career disaster. The Parker-Barry combo has gone way further than most can dream about. But something just isn't quite right.
It's not too late for Parker to see if a new environment can get him out of a semi-malaise.
Fa was an awkward customer who could throw the odd flurry. But he went backwards for most of the 12 rounds on Saturday night, and was deservedly well beaten on points.
People can feign shock at least at one of the scorecards, but exactly which rounds did they think Fa won?
For some reason, Fa raised his arms at the end, as Parker trudged back to his corner.
Maybe the relative unknown had an adrenaline rush after surviving in the spotlight, but he wouldn't have been the most relieved man in the building.
Promoter David Higgins pulled a great promotion out of the fire, formulating a new broadcasting deal which bypassed Sky TV.
Higgins' fight night - featuring an often-bizarre undercard and wan main fight - squeaked home ahead of the level 3 lockdown. Parker, who wanted a knockout, also squeaked home.
Duco and Barry did a great job in getting Parker to where they did on the world stage. But we were led to believe there could be a lot more.
