Super Rugby Pacific: Blues slump to loss against Reds, leaving title defence in tatters

The Reds defeated the Blues 35-21 in Brisbane on Friday night. Photo / Photosport

Blues 21

Queensland Reds 35

Each week the Blues edge closer to killing off their fast-fading playoff hopes.

From defending champions to potentially failing to make the top six, what a baffling fall from grace that could be.

On the evidence of their seventh loss from 10 attempts this Super Rugby Pacific season, their title defence is on life support.

The Blues have hope yet but after continuing New Zealand’s staggering collective inability to win in Australia this season – stretching that barren run to six attempts – they have officially entered must-win territory.

With their season on the line, the Blues’ 35-21 loss to the Reds ranks as one of their worst performances of the year.

From the malfunctioning lineout that lost four throws to Mark Tele’a’s moment of madness, indecision under the high ball, turnovers, blown chances and brittle defence, the Blues seem bereft of confidence.

Vern Cotter could clutch for excuses. The Blues were without Dalton Papali’i and Caleb Clarke, and Beauden Barrett started on the bench after battling illness this week.

But their basic skills and inaccuracy were alarming for a team that should be title contenders.

One of the great frustrations is how the Blues can switch from losing to a match-winning James O’Connor penalty against the Crusaders in Christchurch last week to a performance that suggests they deserve to slip to ninth place.

Having suffered their most single-season losses since 2019, the Blues must now claim their four winnable remaining games – against the Western Force (home), the Fijian Drua (away), Moana Pasifika (away) and the New South Wales Waratahs (home) – to scrape into the playoffs.

Their failure to secure a losing bonus point in Brisbane could yet prove costly.

The Blues will almost certainly be without Japan-bound All Blacks wing Tele’a for the next couple of weeks after he took a solid shot too far.

In the 30th minute, with the Blues trailing 14-0, frustrations boiled over when Tele’a hit his opposite wing Tim Ryan hard but then tipped him into an unnecessarily dangerous position, leaving referee Jordan Way no choice but to brandish a yellow card that was soon upgraded to red.

While the Blues eventually replaced Tele’a, his actions left them one man short for 20 minutes, and he now faces suspension for the incident.

The Reds, down on troops, emerging from the bye and successive defeats to the Brumbies and Chiefs, rode their luck and goal-line defence to a first-half lead. They then made the most of their one-man advantage, with Wallabies halfback Tate McDermott delivering the telling blow to expose the Blues’ ruck defence.

Five tries to three was a fair reflection of the Reds’ first win over the Blues in six years, although Cotter’s men will rue blowing many chances to strike.

After enduring a poor start by allowing Reds playmaker Tom Lynagh to waltz through for two tries in as many minutes, the Blues had ample chances to convert.

Four times they crossed the Reds’ line without converting, with a mixture of gallant Reds defence and inaccuracy costing the Blues.

Finally, just before halftime, the Blues defied their numerical disadvantage to break the deadlock with Kurt Eklund barging over after being twice previously denied.

Late tries to Sam Nock and Anton Segner merely mitigated the damage and the Blues returned home empty-handed.

With New Zealand teams suffering five losses (three from the Highlanders), the Chiefs’ defeat to the Waratahs in Sydney, the Hurricanes drawing with the Force and now the Blues slumping against the Reds, Australia is becoming something of a 2025 graveyard for Kiwi sides.

Blues 21 (Kurt Eklund, Sam Nock, Anton Segner tries; Harry Plummer 2 cons, Beauden Barrett con)

Reds 35 (Tom Lynagh 2, Tate McDermott, Lachie Anderson, Richie Asiata tries; Lynagh 5 cons)

HT: 7-14

Liam Napier is a Senior Sports Journalist and Rugby Correspondent for the New Zealand Herald. He is a co-host of the Rugby Direct podcast.