Rugby: Sonny Bill Williams stars as Blues claim famous scalp with win over British and Irish Lions

The Blues celebrate their win. Photo / Brett Phibbs

The Blues have done what many among their loyal support may have thought impossible this season, and have claimed a famous scalp not by the "rugby chaos" that the Lions were expecting at Eden Park, but by a ruthless adherence to the basics.

The chaos was there all right, and especially in the winning of this match which came via flat-out brilliance from the Steven Luatua and Sonny Bill Williams, superb both, and Ihaia West, the replacement first-five who received Williams' offload and set off for the posts like a startled rabbit.

And there was luck before this, yes. The Blues probably owe a debt of gratitude to television match official Marius Jonker, who was involved in deciding the first three tries of the match, plus he had a hand in the sinbinning of Liam Williams for his second mid-air challenge on Matt Duffie.

But while Lions coach Warren Gatland might have let slip a few more expletives at the decisions, and this result which puts his team's tour into a rather deep hole only two games in, a neutral couldn't find fault with them.

Jared Payne was over early for the visitors but the try was ruled out for a leg in touch, and Sonny Bill Williams' try was awarded after Jonker decided a red hand knocked it back rather than a Blues' hand forward.

It was difficult to find fault with those decisions, and few could overlook the influence midfielder Williams had on this 22-16 victory which will all but wipe away the disappointment of failing to make the Super Rugby playoffs for another year.

Williams was immense in the No12 jersey and will entitle to feel disappointed should he not start in the first test at the same venue on June 24. It wasn't just his directness on attack, or ability to slip an offload, it was his defence, and efforts in either attempting to snare the ball at the breakdown or to slow its release.

His option taking was first class too, and he formed a brilliant partnership with his Counties mate, halfback Augustine Pulu, who became increasingly influential. All this while practising Muslim Williams fasts for Ramadan, which means nothing to eat or drink during the day; an incredible feat.

The other standout attacking player in the match was Rieko Ioane on the left wing, a man who scored one try and effectively had two ruled out - the first due to Ofa Tu'ungafasi's tackle while offside and the second a forward pass from West.

The space for Ioane's try was provided by a brilliant cut-out pass from Stephen Perofeta, but the pace caught Lions' fullback Leigh Halfpenny by surprise and it would prove to be a problem for the opposition defence for the rest of the match.

They did it at last, did the Blues. The stayed in the match for the 80 minutes as coach Tana Umaga hoped they would, and they got over the line with discipline, courage, and flair of course. They are the Blues after all.