The Chiefs lineout was a muddle as the Blues contested almost everything.
After a stoic start, the Chiefs Manawa scrum, too, was dispatched into retreat.
The collective effort of the Blues tight five — Chryss Viliko, Grace Gago, Aldora Itunu, Eloise Blackwell and Maama Vaipulu — was immense.
The Blues set the tone early with forceful carries and direct attack.
After 12 minutes the Chiefs Manawa defence wilted as Itunu steamrolled through.
The Chiefs Manawa responded with a concerted passage of phases. A scrum followed and a glorious skip pass by first five-eighth Kiriana Nolan went to an unmarked Ruby Tui on the wing.
From the 27th minute to the 32nd minute the score mushroomed to 28-7 in favour of the visitors.
Gago rode the wave of a lineout drive to score.
At the restart, Liana Mikaele Tu’u and Vaipulu stampeded from the Blues 22 to the Chiefs Manawa red zone.
An overlap emerged and the ball was headed to the right wing of Katelyn Vaha’akolo until the palms of Chiefs Manawa fullback Renee Holmes spoiled a certain try.
Upon review, a penalty try was awarded and Holmes was sent to the sin bin for 10 minutes.
The Chiefs Manawa were sent into a tailspin.
Midfielder Grace Steinmetz threw a pass that was intercepted by Blues centre Sylvia Brunt.
Brunt sprinted 40m to dot the ball down.
The Chiefs Manawa regained some equilibrium before the break.
Blues penalties gifted the Chiefs Manawa a lineout 5m shy of the visitors’ line, resulting in an obligatory try for the prolific Luka Connor.
In the 48th minute, Tui split the Blues open.
Brunt rushed across and flattened the charismatic Black Fern.
Tui’s game was over while Brunt had a 10-minute break for shoulder-on-head contact.
The Chiefs Manawa were unable to exploit the numerical advantage.
In the 55th minute, Vaha’akolo cut down the short side to buy the Blues some breathing room.
A thumping kick by Patricia Maliepo had the ball sit idly 5m short of the Chiefs Manawa line.
Mererangi Paul went roaming, but couldn’t escape the grasp of the defending Jaymie Kolose.
Paul threw an unsighted reverse pass to opposition lock Maiakawanakaulani Roos and the Blues led 33-14.
The Chiefs Manawa bench again added impact with Krystal Murray coming to the fore.
Chelsea Alley celebrated her 100th first-class game with a try, but the Blues’ intensity rarely wavered.
The barging bustle of reserve prop Cheyenne Tuli-Fale was the exclamation mark.
Blues 40 (Tries: Aldora Itunu, Grace Gago, penalty try, Sylvia Brunt, Maiakawanakaulani Roos, Cheyenne Tuli-Fale. Conversions: Krysten Cottrell 4)
Chiefs Manawa 26 (Tries: Ruby Tui, Luka Connor, Krystal Murray, Chelsea Semple. Conversions Renee Holmes 2, Ariana Bayler)
HT: 28-14
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