Melani Nanai of the Blues makes a break against the Hurricanes. Photo / Getty
The Blues' disappointment in losing to the Hurricanes despite a sparkling first-half performance could be deepened by a hand injury to fullback Melani Nanai, the wing-turned fullback who looked very much at home there on the Westpac Stadium pitch.
And he wasn't the only one. When Tana Umaga and his
assistants come to review their team's 37-27 defeat, they will probably see that the vast majority of Nanai's teammates did, from new All Black prop Ofa Tu'ungafasi, to hooker James Parsons, lock Patrick Tuipulotu, and the outstanding loose forward trio of Kara Pryor, Jerome Kaino and Steven Luatua.
The midfield of Piers Francis and Male Sa'u also performed spectacularly, adding direction to first-five Ihaia West, who also had his moments, and in wings Matt Duffie and Tevita Li, the Blues had a pair who probably outshone All Blacks opposites Julian Savea and Cory Jane.
The Hurricanes, by comparison, looked like they had been caught in an ambush before they gained an upper hand in the final quarter. They were also helped by a controversial first-half try to hooker Dane Coles, awarded by the television match official despite the ball going forward off the hand of one of his teammates.
But the Blues, leading 24-17 at halftime thanks to a stunning Pryor try, plus two from Kaino, lacked direction once Francis went off with a biceps injury, along with Sa'u, the Japan international who left the field with a rib cartilage problem. A lost Blues' lineout on halfway late in the match handed the Hurricanes an opportunity and they took it via Vaea Fifita's second try, assisted by replacement Matt McGahan's missed tackle.
