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Blues overcome early scare to score 11 tries and thrash Melbourne Rebels

(Photo by Phil Walter/Getty Images)

Melbourne have been given an attacking lesson by the Super Rugby Pacific front-running Blues, who delivered a 71-28 thrashing in Auckland.

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The Blues scored seven tries in the first half on Friday night to race to an unassailable 47-14 lead, with All Blacks back-rower Akira Ioane terrorising the Rebels to bag a double.

And they did it without star All Blacks playmaker Beauden Barrett, who was rested, with youngster Stephen Perofeta at 10.

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While the Blues went into the match on top of the ladder with just one loss, the Rebels were in eighth place with their eye on the finals.

But that appears dead in the water with the scoreline likely putting a major dent in their points differential.

The 11-try tally just fell short of the Blues’ record of 74 points, set back in 1998.

Melbourne couldn’t have got off to a better start, with prop Pone Fa’amausili barging over for a second-minute try after a Blues lineout went awry.

And they made it 14-0 by the fifth minute when a pass by Blues halfback Finlay Christie after another lineout was intercepted by young Rebels lock Josh Canham.

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But the rest of the half was one-way traffic as the Blues sent wave after wave of attack at the Rebels, making easy metres over the advantage line.

Ioane scored his two tries within six minutes with the first coming after fellow All Black Hoskins Sotutu sent a long ball out to his flanker.

Christie, lock James Tucker, Sotutu and Ioane’s younger brother Rieko all crossed before Mark Telea capped the stunning half.

The winger pulled off a spectacular dive to plant the ball in the corner with superboot Perofeta missing just one conversion in the half.

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The Rebels lost Wallabies winger Andrew Kellaway early in the half but it was unclear if it was due to injury.

Rieko Ioane matched his brother with his second try in the 51st minute and then went one better, completing his hat-trick in the 63rd minute for a 66-14 scoreline.

Melbourne crossed for two consolation tries through flanker Brad Wilkin and fullback Reece Hodge but it was still a game they’d rather forget.

Blues 71 (Tries to Akira Ioane (2), Finlay Christie, James Tucker, Hoskins Sotutu, Rieko Ioane (3), Mark Telea, Stephen Perofeta and Caleb Clarke; 8 conversions to Perofeta)

Rebels 28 (Tries to Pone Fa’amausili, Josh Canham, Brad Wilkin and Reece Hodge; 2 conversions to Carter Gordon, 2 conversions to Hodge)

– Melissa Woods

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Bull Shark 2 hours ago
Rassie Erasmus' Boks selection policy is becoming bizarre

To be fair, the only thing that drives engagement on this site is over the top critiques of Southern Hemisphere teams.


Or articles about people on podcasts criticizing southern hemisphere teams.


Articles regarding the Northern Hemisphere tend to be more positive than critical. I guess to also rile up kiwis and Saffers who seem to be the majority of followers in the comments section. There seems to be a whole department dedicated to Ireland’s world ranking news.


Despite being dialled into the Northern edition - I know sweet fokall about what’s going on in France.


And even less than fokall about what’s cutting in Japan - which has a fast growing, increasingly premium League competition emerging.


And let’s not talk about the pacific. Do they even play rugby Down there.


Oh and the Americas. I’ve read more articles about a young, stargazing Welshman’s foray into NFL than I have anything related to either the north and south continents of the Americas.


I will give credit that the women’s game is getting decent airtime. But for the rest and the above; it’s just pathetic coming from a World Rugby website.


Just consider the innovation emerging in Japan with the pedigree of coaches over there.


There’s so much good we could be reading.


Instead it’s unimaginative “critical for the sake of feigning controversial”. Which is lazy, because in order to pull that off all you need to be really good at is:


1. Being a doos;

2. Having an opinion.


No prior experience needed.


Which is not journalism. That’s like all or most of us in the comments section. People like Finn (who I believe is a RP contributor).


Anyway. Hopefully it will get better. The game is growing and the interest in the game is growing. Maybe it will attract more qualified journalists over time.

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