Tuitupou sets rivals' bells tolling

By WYNNE GRAY

Blues 42 Brumbies 21

It was a bell-ringing beaut even by Sam Tuitupou's standards.

As the Brumbies made a threatening late surge in their Super 12 semifinal against the Blues, wing Damian McInally took the ball up behind his forwards.

Suddenly a scrum-capped blue-clad hammer hit him, bashed him backwards to set the tone for the Blues consolidation and march to a handsome victory at Eden Park.

"I saw him. I was snooping away and had him lined up," Tuitupou said of his clatter-tackle.

"I think it was the best tackle I have made this season."

It was typical of the Blues' defence for most of the playoff, as they smacked over their opponents like they were hitting tacklebags at training.

Bells were tolling for a few players by the end of the match as Blues flanker Justin Collins wobbled off and halfback Steve Devine was stretchered off after a collision.

It took Devine about an hour after the game to emerge, ashen and in some pain, from the medical room where he had been monitored for neck and head injuries.

According to the medical bulletin yesterday, both were only dazed, though they will be assessed again and will not play in the final if there are any doubts about their health.

That delayed decision would seem to be more about psychology and morale, especially Devine's who had a superb game.

His combination with Carlos Spencer would be missed in the final, but David Gibson has shown, if he is needed and gets the right protection, he is a sweet distributor.

Brumbies substitute flanker Owen Finegan was also in la-la land after smacking into Doug Howlett when he scored a try. He returned after a spell, but was still woozy after the game.

If there were casualty concerns for the Blues after the game they would also have been anxious about their start.

They were nervous, they made uncustomary skill and decision-making errors.

However, they settled at the end of the first quarter as they delivered a thrilling mix of forward drives and interplay with the backline.

Devine scored after Angus Macdonald, Keven Mealamu, Carlos Spencer and Doug Howlett all played big roles in the move.

The home side backed that with two further tries before the break. The snap in the forward thrust was impressive, peeling the Brumbies back with rolling drives, splintering a group which has Wallaby aspirations.

The scrum was solid, responding to coach Peter Sloane's pleas for a concentrated effort, while Ali Williams and the impressive Collins were sure-fire lineout targets.

Support play came from Daniel Braid, ripping the ball clear, spinning into defenders and offloading to Collins, captain Xavier Rush or the next carrier. There was some stunning stuff.

The defence yielded nothing in the first half, but strangely wilted three times after the break.

Centre Mils Muliaina pulled out a superb solo try, sliding past four defenders about the time Tuitupou was banging bodies.

Then Joe Rokocoko took his second smart try and Howlett finished the scoring while the medics tended the injured Blues pair.

Blues skipper Rush reckoned it would be great to host the final against the defending champion Crusaders.

"We've got a lot of respect for the Crusaders, but we've got a lot of respect for ourselves, too," he said.

That sentiment came through from Tuitupou, one of the squad rookies, just turned 21, a shoo-in for a third season with the NZ Colts and an All Black contender.

"After we beat the Crusaders in the pool game we thought we could do it, we thought we could have a good crack at this competition.

"Before that match we did not quite know how our levels compared. We are excited about the task," he said.

"It is the same feeling we had when we beat them in the NPC semifinals last year. We think we have got the talent.

"We have been through a lot for the past three months to let this slip away," he said.