The Blues recorded successive wins over the Highlanders – after their 32-20 victory. Video / Sky Sport
Blues 32 Highlanders 25
Desperate defence saved the Blues from repeat Dunedin demons but their tense victory against the Highlanders may come at a cost with Beauden Barrett sustaining another head knock.
The Blues recorded successive wins over the Highlanders – after their 32-20 victory in Albany two weeks ago –but Leon MacDonald's men had to work overtime in the second half as the southerners mounted a spirited comeback.
While the Blues never ceded the lead, visions of their opening loss to the Hurricanes at the same venue, when they conceded three tries in the final 10 minutes to blow a seemingly certain victory, returned in the second half as the Highlanders threatened to stun the visitors.
This time, the Blues held on in a frantic finish that required them to defend their line in the closing four minutes.
Barrett marked his first start at No 10 in two years for the Blues with an influential performance that included a try and 13 points after recovering from offseason concussions and Covid.
One minute into the second half, though, Barrett copped a blow to the head while making a low front-on tackle on powerful Highlanders centre Fetuli Paea.
The All Blacks centurion left the field with blood streaming from his nose, and did not return. There will be concerns after the lingering concussions Barrett endured over the summer following a nasty head knock in the loss to Ireland in Dublin last November.
Beauden Barrett of the Blues receives medical attention after taking a knock to the head. Photo / Getty
This four-tries-to-three encounter could have been closer but for Highlanders playmaker Mitchell Hunt spraying two conversions off the tee.
After a dominant first half handed the Blues a deserved 18-6 lead, the second half featured punch and counter punch.
The Blues picked up where they left off from their victory over the Highlanders in Albany to dominate the southerners from the outset.
From turnover possession, the Blues were lethal on the counter. Switching from defence to attack they burnt the Highlanders with offloads which often left the locals scrambling. The Blues embraced the width to harness wings Caleb Clarke and Mark Telea, both of whom were prominent.
The Blues celebrate a try scored by Caleb Clarke. Photo / Getty
The Highlanders, meanwhile, offered nothing on attack early. They lacked any genuine form of penetration and seemed determined to kick at every opportunity – a testament to the Blues defence and counter ruck pressure.
Aaron Smith did his utmost to ignite the Highlanders but, in the first half at least, even he could not get anything going.
The Blues delivered a telling punch just before the break by turning down the shot at goal and converting with Barrett's try down the short side off a scrum after Highlanders wing Ngatungane Punivai was caught too far off his wing.
The 18-6 halftime lead should have been more but the Blues did not fully convert their dominance.
It was a different story in the second half, though, with the Highlanders transforming to take the challenge to the Blues.
Smith ignited the Highlanders to spark two tries in 11 minutes. Sam Gilbert landed the initial response; Daniel Lienert-Brown followed suit and Highlanders wing Mosese Dawai was denied a brilliant strike following a pinpoint Smith kick after an earlier knock-on.
Hoskins Sotutu and Stephen Perofeta, who came off the bench to replace Barrett, kept the Blues in the box seat but Gilbert's second try had the Highlanders within striking distance of an upset.
The locals had their chances but couldn't land the blow to send the match to golden point, leaving the Highlanders winless from five games.
After a week off as Covid ripped through their squad the Blues will take the win and move on to two matches against Moana Pasifika next week – Tuesday at Mt Smart Stadium followed by Saturday at Eden Park.
This was, however, another patchy performance that suggests they have much to prove before being considered serious title contenders.
Blues 32 (Caleb Clarke, Beauden Barrett, Hoskins Sotutu, Stephen Perofeta tries; Barrett con, 2 pens Stephen Perofeta 2 cons) Highlanders 25 (Sam Gilbert 2, Daniel Lienert-Brown tries; Mitchell Hunt 2 cons, 2 pens) HT: 18-6
