WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) 鈥 In a weekend of must-win matches in Super Rugby Pacific, some teams achieved and others stumbled in the six-team playoffs race.
The were at the top of the must-win category, having begun to lose touch with sixth place when they were . It was the seventh loss of the season for the Auckland-based team.
They had to win Friday against the sixth-place Western Force, and they did 40-19 in a match which was closer than the margin indicated. The Blues鈥 victory depended a great deal on their scrum dominance.
The win lifted the Blues to sixth while the Perth-based Force dropped to seventh, based on points differential.
Coach 鈥淪tern鈥 Vern Cotter had made clear his displeasure after the Blues鈥 loss to the Reds left their season dangling by a thread with matches remaining against the Force, the Fijian Drua in Fiji, Moana Pasifika and the New South Wales Waratahs.
鈥淚t鈥檚 never really nice when your coach is questioning your attitude,鈥 Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu said. 鈥淏ut I think that鈥檚 what we needed 鈥 a bit of a wake-up call.”
The Wellington-based Hurricanes needed to back up last week鈥檚 performance against the Canberra-based Brumbies, when they became the first New Zealand team to win in Australia this season. That win lifted them into the top six but into a very tight struggle to hold onto a playoffs place.
They produced another upset, beating the top of the table Chiefs 35-17 with the help of four second half tries by winger Bailyn Sullivan who replaced Kini Naholo at halftime. Naholo who has scored eight tries this season suffered a serious knee injury.
The Hurricanes moved up to fifth place after Round 12, four points ahead of the Blues, with matches remaining the Highlanders, the Crusaders and Moana Pasifika.
The Chiefs remained atop the standings in a points tie with the Christchurch-based Crusaders who couldn鈥檛 take advantage of the Chiefs鈥 loss because of a weekend bye.
The Brumbies stayed in third place after a 40-17 win over the Waratahs, who dropped to eighth place, still only a point out of sixth. The Queensland Reds stayed in fourth, despite an upset 36-33 loss to the Fijian Drua.
Hometown Heroes
The Fijian Drua maintained an outstanding home record when they beat the fourth-placed Reds in Suva on Saturday.
The win echoed the Drua鈥檚 41-17 win over the Reds in 2023 and .
So far this season the Drua have won three of five home matches but from home and are at the bottom of the table.
Over the last three years, the Drua have had 19 home matches and won 14. That includes victories over the Crusaders, Waratahs and Melbourne Force. But the Reds especially have struggled in Fiji.
The Drua sealed their win with a 79th minute try on Saturday to replacement Isikeli Rabitu, dealing a blow to the Reds in their first match since their head coach Les .
Beale is back
Former scored a try to mark his return to rugby after a 10 months break, for the Western Force against the Blues.
The 36-year-old Beale didn鈥檛 shirk contact in his first match since sustaining a ruptured Achilles in a Sydney club game.
He played at fullback and turned in a solid 72 minutes before being substituted. Beale had a number of neat touches before crossing in the left corner for a second-half try.
鈥淚t鈥檚 good to be back but disappointed in the end,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he game鈥檚 changing. It鈥檚 getting fitter, faster, stronger.
鈥淏ut I enjoy the challenge. I love the unpredictability of the game.鈥
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