Scott Higginbotham sneaks over for a try in the Rebels' win over the Blues. Photo / Getty
Rebels 42
Blues 22
The Blues will finish the season with yet another unwanted record after this latest loss to the Rebels in Melbourne tonight.
The 42-22 defeat means they have lost every away game this season. The two previous years under John Kirwan weren't much better - one away win in each - and this one had all the elements familiar to the Blues in recent times.
They were good at times, but also very bad, and this Rebels team are no mugs. Their imminent tour to South Africa will likely bring them back down to earth after this five-try bonus point win, but after victories over the Chiefs, Crusaders and now Blues, they can already consider their season a success and likely their best in their five years of existence.
They didn't need to do anything special. In Mike Harris they have a fullback with his kicking radar finely tuned and co-captain Scott Higginbotham provided his usual momentum and yet another try. They had their off moments too, especially in the first half, but not as many as the visitors.
The Blues were far too loose, as usual. Their mistakes opened the door which the Rebels walked through with their greater cohesiveness and ability to win the big moments.
With Dan Bowden absent, there was little structure to their backline play, although George Moala was a powerful presence in midfield and replacement halfback Jamison Gibson-Park gave them a sniff of a comeback early in the second half with his fast feet, only for the Rebels to grab back the initiative and rub their noses into another painful defeat.
Late tries to Dom Shipperley and Jack Debreczeni turned it into a rout.
The portents were not good before kick-off, with the Blues taking the field without regular skipper Jerome Kaino, lock Patrick Tuipulotu, first-five Bowden and fullback Charles Piutau due to injury.
And they didn't improve once the game started - once again opportunities were missed, with Moala over the line but held up - the Rebels somehow clearing - and Keven Mealamu knocking on centimetres from the line.
The Rebels didn't need as many chances. An intercepted Tevita Li pass gave the home side the momentum and the impressive blindside flanker Colby Fainga'a was the one to take advantage with the try.
Hayden Triggs' departure with a calf injury after 23 minutes was another blow, but a Melani Nanai try down the right wing, after a brilliant phase play move involving Mealamu, Jimmy Cowan and Francis Saili put the visitors right back in it following West's conversion from the right sideline.
It was the Rebels who finished the half the stronger, though, when a quick lineout throw caught the Blues asleep and prop Toby Smith shock off Tony Woodcock's tackle go over from 25m out.
Gibson-Park's try early in the second half gave the Blues hope, but they were always behind in territory and possession and therefore always on the back foot. Moala scored a deserved try when placing the ball on the line but the two late converted tries killed the Blues off. A familiar feeling this season.
Rebels 42 (Colby Fainga'a, Toby Smith, Scott Higginbotham, Dom Shipperley, Jack Debreczeni tries; Mike Harris 4 cons, 3 pens)
Blues 22 (Melani Nanai, Jamison Gibson-Park, George Moala tries; Ihaia West 2 cons, pen)
Halftime: 18-10
Hit parade: Akira Ioane's collision with the bigger Lopeti Timani was bone-jarring and it was the Rebels lock who came off second best, although he recovered to put his own big tackle on Lolagi Visinia.
Unlucky injury: Visinia was an unfortunate casualty of friendly fire in the second half when Blues lock Josh Bekhuis accidently punched him under the right eye. Visinia left the field in considerable pain.