Rugby: '100% better' Blues give Kirwan hope after gritty win

Blues Coach John Kirwan. Photo / Dean Purcell

After the Blues' problems winning away from home last season, yesterday's pre-season 32-29 victory over the Hurricanes at North Harbour will be manna from heaven for coach John Kirwan.

Yes, QBE Stadium is Blues territory, but Kirwan will take any positives he can get as he prepares his team in his third season at the franchise.

Last season they won only once away from Eden Park - against the Force in Perth.

It was only a pre-season game - and a trip to South Africa tomorrow will have been at the back of the Hurricanes' minds - but there was a bit to admire about the Blues' win. They were poor defensively early on, but gradually improved to the point where they were dominating the collisions in the second half.

Kirwan described the performance as "100 per cent" better than their previous effort against the Chiefs in Whangarei last weekend when they slumped to a big defeat.

"It was a different football team today," he said of the improvement. "They concentrated better and everyone was on their game and that's important. We're going to have to pick it up again next week even more."

After a good start the Blues quickly went behind but clawed their way back through their insistence on taking penalty kicks and a fair bit of added grit.

The Blues struck first when second-five George Moala broke through, but the Hurricanes, featuring All Blacks Cory Jane and TJ Perenara, with excellent flanker Ardie Savea, quickly hit back through Blade Thomson and Brad Shields.

Thomson's try came straight after a decision by Chris Pollock to yellow card Blues lock Culum Retallick for pulling down a maul. It appeared harsh in a pre-season match but Kirwan had no complaints.

A break by elusive fullback Nehe Milner-Skudder led to an Ardie Savea try under the posts to compound things for the home side, but the Blues struck from long range when blindside flanker Joe Edwards did well to feed Ben Lam, the wing going in from 50m out.

Ihaia West, who appears likely to wear the No 10 jersey against the Chiefs next Saturday, kicked his third penalty to even the score at 19-19 at halftime.

A Blake Gibson try put the Blues further ahead after another West penalty. Vaea Fifita stretched out for the Hurricanes, but Simon Hickey's penalty gave them breathing space before Savea's late second try for the Hurricanes.

"The No 1 objective of today was to get through with no injuries and I think we managed to achieve that," Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd said.

Blues 32 (George Moala, Ben Lam, Blake Gibson tries; Ihaia West 4 pens, Simon Hickey con, pen)

Hurricanes 29 (Ardie Savea 2, Blade Thomson, Brad Shields, Vaea Fifita tries; Jason Woodward 2 cons)

HT: 19-19