Blues rout Highlanders as Mark Telea stars in emphatic win to start Super Rugby Pacific

At Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin: Blues 60 (Mark Telea 2, Rieko Ioane 2, Beauden Barrett, Caleb Clarke, Marcel Renata, Dalton Papalii tries; Barrett 2 pen, 7 con) Highlanders 20 (Mitch Hunt, Josh Timu tries; Sam Gilbert 2 pen, 2 con). HT: 31-20.

The Blues’ devastating attacking spree in the first half lifted last year’s runners-up to an empathic 60-20 win over the Highlanders to start their title pursuit in Super Rugby Pacific.

All Blacks winger Mark Telea was outstanding in a memorable onslaught of running rugby that left the hapless southerners chasing a game that always felt out of reach.

There were 51 points in an extended first half on Saturday night in Dunedin and the Blues were too quick and clinical, leaving new Highlanders coach Clarke Dermody with a heavy loss in his first match. It was a record win for the Blues against them.

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When they needed to, the Blues put the Highlanders away. Fittingly, Telea completed his brace of tries with an intercept and handed Rieko Ioane his second with another fabulous break in the final minutes.

In the absence of star All Blacks halfback Aaron Smith, Folau Fakatava made his comeback from a knee injury for the Highlanders, after opting against ACL surgery in his bid to make the Rugby World Cup squad, and he showed glimpses of his qualities.

But opposing halfback Finlay Christie had a stronger game, guiding the Blues around the park who, at times, looked simply unstoppable when their attack had momentum, led superbly by All Blacks playmaker Beauden Barrett.

The Highlanders losing talismanic No 8 Marino Mikaele-Tu’u to a suspected rib injury in the third minute was a tough blow.

However, they crumbled and conceded a whopping eight tries on home turf for a truly miserable defeat.

Everything the Blues touched inside the first 28 minutes turned to gold. They were helped, too, by the Highlanders gifting them their first points when they were marched 10 metres for dissent.

The penalty was shifted to within Barrett’s range. He took the three points before the Blues scored four tries in 15 scintillating first-half minutes.

The terrific Telea started and finished a sweeping move for their opener, Christie pounced on a loose ball to sprint away and Telea was in support to give Barrett their second, then Barrett’s booming cross-field kick was successfully chased by Caleb Clarke, beating the dazed Highlanders defenders after running more than 50 metres.

Ioane finished another swift, clinical move down the right flank, combining with Telea, and the hosts were lucky to only be trailing by 25 after two Sam Gilbert penalty goals.

There was some respite, however, and Fakatava’s contentious disallowed try sparked a reaction.

The Highlanders’ relentless pressure before half-time resulted in two yellow cards for the Blues, to Cameron Suafoa and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, and tries for Mitch Hunt and Josh Timu.

The big moment

The Highlanders started the second half with a player advantage, with Tuivasa-Sheck in the sinbin, and had reduced the deficit to 11 points.

Any chance of a comeback disappeared when the hosts let replacement prop Marcel Renata score a simple try in the 54th minute to give the visitors a 21-point advantage after Barrett added a second penalty.

Dalton Papalii also crossed the chalk before the Blues really rubbed it in with further tries.

MVP

Two-test winger Telea, who started in last year’s northern tour in the All Blacks’ win against Scotland and the draw with England, was brilliant all night and made a staggering 221 running metres.

He kept wriggling through tackles and offloading to team-mates in space to leave the Highlanders’ defence spinning.

Match rating: 7/10

The new rules – and the fewer, tedious stoppages – designed to speed the game up appear to be working because this game was faster and more exciting than many of the drab spectacles of recent years which prompted the changes. It’s only round one, however.

The big picture

The Blues have made it five wins in a row against the Highlanders.

It’s magic round in Melbourne next weekend and the Highlanders kick it off against the Crusaders on Friday night.

The Blues have an interesting clash next Sunday afternoon with the Brumbies, who they pipped 20-19 in last year’s semifinal at Eden Park.