Rugby: Title hopes back on track

Blues player Jamie Helleur scores in the tackle of Hendro Scholtz of the Cheetahs at North Harbour Stadium last night. Photo / Getty Images

Blues 46
Cheetahs 12

The North Shore of Auckland is being primed as a South African rugby stronghold for the next World Cup.

But a day after that connection was revealed at the Cup draw, the Blues sliced open the first visitors from the Republic when they dismantled the Cheetahs in a six-tries-to-two belting.

Had they not, there should have been an inquiry. There was a gulf in class and cohesion. The Blues had shown promise in compiling a two-win, two-loss record, including the difficult road trip through Australia and South Africa.

Meanwhile the Cheetahs had not won a game following a solitary victory last year, and without their injured skipper, Juan Smit, this Black Friday game turned out to be their heaviest loss this season.

This was also the 1000th game in the history of Super rugby, a chance for the Blues to return to the winning circle after losing momentum a week ago against the Sharks and a match where they had to reassert themselves as one of the title contenders from New Zealand.

They rediscovered their victory march with a tick for effort and intent but did not underline the milestone match with any outstanding consistent team contributions against a modest opponent.

There were moments of real quality from individuals like the promising loose forward Chris Lowrey and workaholic skipper Keven Mealamu, Isaia Toeava - who is starting to deliver consistent class - Jimmy Gopperth and his lively young five-eighths colleague Michael Hobbs.

All Black lock Ali Williams started to roll out work that watching national coach Graham Henry would have appreciated, while tighthead test frontrunner John Afoa also ground through his basic duties.

New wing Rene Ranger made some thrilling runs and balanced that with the sort of blemishes which reflected the Blues' performance, while the rain that began to fall quite strongly midway through the second half made handling difficult. .

The Blues began at a quick clip when Chris Lowrey palmed off the defence to send Anthony Tuitavake across the stripe before the Cheetahs delivered a generous donation.

Flanker Wayne van Heerden was sinbinned for a clumsy early tackle and the Blues slapped on another 10 points in his absence from Jimmy Gopperth's boot and Lowrey, who scored himself.

From that quick start the Blues stalled while the Cheetahs found some ooomph to their play. That change in equilibrium was underlined when Corne Uys scored from broken play, and while Gopperth goaled a magnificent 52m penalty, the Blues' halftime lead of 20-7 did not look a concrete winning margin.

Five minutes after the restart, they had made sure.

Toeava whistled over after his five-eighths fooled the defence, Hobbs was then held up over the line when a Ranger counterattack and Ali Williams' support deserved better, before Taniela Moa strolled over from a scrum move. Too easy and suddenly too far in front at 32-7.