Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

'Not really that genuine': Blues captain's brutal honestly about Chiefs' loss

Blues' Patrick Tuipulotu (R) waits to run onto the field before the round one Super Rugby Pacific match between the Blues and Chiefs at Eden Park in Auckland on February 15, 2025. (Photo by MICHAEL BRADLEY/AFP via Getty Images)

Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu described the opening round loss to the Chiefs as ‘very frustrating’ as the defending champs couldn’t celebrate veteran Ofa Tu’ungafasi’s 150th in style.

ADVERTISEMENT

The milestone came on opening night with a Grand Final rematch, ultimately the Chiefs earning some revenge with a 25-14 win off the back of a double to fullback Damian McKenzie.

While the Chiefs backs finished with a host of tries, including one for New Zealand sevens star and debutant Leroy Carter, it was up front where Tuipolotu was gutted about what had unfolded.

Video Spacer
Video Spacer

He spoke of his disappointment that the Blues hadn’t aimed up physically for the clash despite talking about what they were going to do.

“Very frustrating,” captain Tuipulotu said to media post-game.

“During the week, we talked about the physicality of the game, but in the end probably just paid lip service to it. Not really that genuine.

“The Chiefs, they played the physical game tonight and we didn’t really fire back.

“Probably talked about doing something and expecting it to happen. Being out there, yeah, a few flurries they had.

Player Line Breaks

1
Damian McKenzie
3
2
Leroy Carter
3
3
Mark Tele'a
2
ADVERTISEMENT

The Chiefs finished with seven line breaks to the Blues’ three, which came off the back of a mountain of carries 177 to 116.

The visitors dominated with 64 per cent territory and 58 per cent possession.

“Very tough for someone so special in our group, for the service that he’s put towards this jersey,” Tuipulotu said of Tu’ungafasi.

Head coach Vern Cotter highlighted the ruck as being a problem area for the Blues and the neutralisation of the scrum, which was a weapon for the Blues during their championship run.

“Today, it [ruck] was [a problem], because we couldn’t turn it around,” head coach Vern Cotter said.

ADVERTISEMENT

“We spoke about it, but we couldn’t turn it around. So I mean once again, we’ll look at, look at how we how we prepared, and then we’ll have a look at how we executed, and then we’ll look at how we adapted to their tactics in and around that phase of play.

“I think probably next time we play them, you know, we’ll be better prepared.”

Download the RugbyPass app now!

News, stats, live rugby and more! Download the new RugbyPass app on the App Store (iOS) and Google Play (Android) now!

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

Force vs Fijian Drua

Boks Office | Episode 37 | Six Nations Round 4 Review

Cape Town | Leg 2 | Day 2 | HSBC Challenger Series 2025 | Full Day Replay

Gloucester-Hartpury vs Bristol Bears | PWR 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Boks Office | Episode 36 | Six Nations Round 3 Review

Why did Scotland's Finn Russell take the crucial kick from the wrong place? | Whistle Watch

England A vs Ireland A | Full Match Replay

Kubota Spears vs Shizuoka BlueRevs | JRLO 2024/2025 | Full Match Replay

Watch now: Lomu - The Lost Tapes

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

6 Comments
S
SadersMan 35 days ago

Paddy ragging the Chiefs & Saders as “somewhere in the background” on last week’s Breakdown, lmao.

J
JW 34 days ago

I liked his approach then and after the game to be honest. It was fresh, and the thought a lot deeper than you normally get, whether you agree or not.

C
Cantab 34 days ago

Gave both of these teams additional incentive to do well eh ??

Load More Comments

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

B
Bradley Tyler 9 minutes ago
Scarlets play-off hopes hit by home defeat to Stormers

Through their deep expertise and stable standing by the side, META TECH RECOVERY PRO team supports your vision and points out the way to your goals, catering to your unique tastes. For those who come across the opaqueness of financial investment issues, there are only two ways of retrieving wisdom and knowledge, respectively. The first, the Prudent Approach, includes seeking information through others' experiences, especially if your money has not been stolen or you have not lost access to your bank accounts. The second, the Costly Approach, however, requires learning through personal investment mistakes and the very tough lessons that come with them. Now, if you are among these people, then checking the report is the best option as only META TECH RECOVERY PRO, a fiduciary official, can be able to assist you out of the trouble without your prior knowledge. One of the ethical obligations of a fiduciary is always to treat the client's needs as the priority, and in this respect, I can give my example as to the fact that my saved amount of money was credited to the bank by Meta Tech Recovery Pro only after consistent assistance. Legal responsibility, ethical character, and a result-oriented mindset are the features of META TECH RECOVERY PRO, which all go to show that no matter what your case is, be it a hacking or recovery problem, you will certainly come to a resolution. META TECH RECOVERY PRO outperformed by clearly showing all the necessary steps that needed to be done to recover my assets and vividly describing different possible scenarios for the recovery. As a result, I managed to retrieve my funds. I give META TECH RECOVERY PRO a thumbs up. for help via:

Metatech@Writeme.Com

contact@metatech-recoverypro.com

WHATSAPP+1 (469) 692‑8049.

Thank you.

0 Go to comments
R
Rebeccakirby 18 minutes ago
Why the ‘State of Origin’ will have a big say in Schmidt’s Wallabies selection

Months earlier, I’d sunk $156,000 into what I thought was a golden opportunity, an online cryptocurrency investment promising sky-high returns. The website was sleek, the testimonials glowing, and the numbers kept climbing. But when I tried to withdraw my profits, the platform froze. Emails went unanswered, support chats died, and my “investment” vanished into the digital ether. I’d been scammed, and the sting of it burned deep.Desperate, I stumbled across Alpha Spy Nest while scouring the web for help. Their site/reviews didn’t promise miracles, just results, specialists in tracking down lost funds from online scams. Skeptical but out of options, I reached out. The process started with a simple form: I detailed the scam, uploaded screenshots of transactions, and shared the wallet addresses I’d sent my crypto to. Within hours, they confirmed they’d take my case.What followed was like watching a high-stakes chess game unfold, though I only saw the moves, not the players. Alpha Spy Nest dove into the blockchain, tracing my funds through a maze of wallets designed to obscure their path. They explained how scammers often use mixers to launder crypto, but certain patterns like timing and wallet clustering, could still betray them. I didn’t understand half of it, but their confidence kept me hopeful. Hours later, they updated me: my money had landed in an exchange account tied to the scam network. They’d identified it through a mix of on-chain analysis and intel from sources I’d never grasp. After 24 hours, i got a message, my funds were frozen in the scammer’s account pending review. Alpha Spy Nest had apparently flagged it just in time.  After some back-and-forth, the exchange with the help of Alpha Spy Nest reversed the transactions, and $145,000 of my original $156,000 hit my wallet. The rest, they said, was likely gone forever, siphoned off early. I never met anyone from Alpha Spy Nest, never heard a voice or saw a face. Yet, their methodical precision pulled me back from the brink. My money wasn’t fully restored, but the recovery felt like a win, a lifeline from a faceless ally in a world of digital shadows. If you find yourself in the same situation, you can also reach out to them via: Email: Alphaspynest@mail.com, whatsapp: ‪+15132924878‬, telegram: https://t.me/Alphaspynest,

78 Go to comments
R
Rebeccakirby 18 minutes ago
Mick Cleary: 'England are back among the heavyweights.'

Months earlier, I’d sunk $156,000 into what I thought was a golden opportunity, an online cryptocurrency investment promising sky-high returns. The website was sleek, the testimonials glowing, and the numbers kept climbing. But when I tried to withdraw my profits, the platform froze. Emails went unanswered, support chats died, and my “investment” vanished into the digital ether. I’d been scammed, and the sting of it burned deep.Desperate, I stumbled across Alpha Spy Nest while scouring the web for help. Their site/reviews didn’t promise miracles, just results, specialists in tracking down lost funds from online scams. Skeptical but out of options, I reached out. The process started with a simple form: I detailed the scam, uploaded screenshots of transactions, and shared the wallet addresses I’d sent my crypto to. Within hours, they confirmed they’d take my case.What followed was like watching a high-stakes chess game unfold, though I only saw the moves, not the players. Alpha Spy Nest dove into the blockchain, tracing my funds through a maze of wallets designed to obscure their path. They explained how scammers often use mixers to launder crypto, but certain patterns like timing and wallet clustering, could still betray them. I didn’t understand half of it, but their confidence kept me hopeful. Hours later, they updated me: my money had landed in an exchange account tied to the scam network. They’d identified it through a mix of on-chain analysis and intel from sources I’d never grasp. After 24 hours, i got a message, my funds were frozen in the scammer’s account pending review. Alpha Spy Nest had apparently flagged it just in time.  After some back-and-forth, the exchange with the help of Alpha Spy Nest reversed the transactions, and $145,000 of my original $156,000 hit my wallet. The rest, they said, was likely gone forever, siphoned off early. I never met anyone from Alpha Spy Nest, never heard a voice or saw a face. Yet, their methodical precision pulled me back from the brink. My money wasn’t fully restored, but the recovery felt like a win, a lifeline from a faceless ally in a world of digital shadows. If you find yourself in the same situation, you can also reach out to them via: Email: Alphaspynest@mail.com, whatsapp: ‪+15132924878‬, telegram: https://t.me/Alphaspynest,

19 Go to comments
R
Rebeccakirby 5 hours ago
Gregor Townsend breaks silence on his Scotland future

Months earlier, I’d sunk $156,000 into what I thought was a golden opportunity, an online cryptocurrency investment promising sky-high returns. The website was sleek, the testimonials glowing, and the numbers kept climbing. But when I tried to withdraw my profits, the platform froze. Emails went unanswered, support chats died, and my “investment” vanished into the digital ether. I’d been scammed, and the sting of it burned deep.Desperate, I stumbled across Alpha Spy Nest while scouring the web for help. Their site/reviews didn’t promise miracles, just results, specialists in tracking down lost funds from online scams. Skeptical but out of options, I reached out. The process started with a simple form: I detailed the scam, uploaded screenshots of transactions, and shared the wallet addresses I’d sent my crypto to. Within hours, they confirmed they’d take my case.What followed was like watching a high-stakes chess game unfold, though I only saw the moves, not the players. Alpha Spy Nest dove into the blockchain, tracing my funds through a maze of wallets designed to obscure their path. They explained how scammers often use mixers to launder crypto, but certain patterns like timing and wallet clustering, could still betray them. I didn’t understand half of it, but their confidence kept me hopeful. Hours later, they updated me: my money had landed in an exchange account tied to the scam network. They’d identified it through a mix of on-chain analysis and intel from sources I’d never grasp. After 24 hours, i got a message, my funds were frozen in the scammer’s account pending review. Alpha Spy Nest had apparently flagged it just in time.  After some back-and-forth, the exchange with the help of Alpha Spy Nest reversed the transactions, and $145,000 of my original $156,000 hit my wallet. The rest, they said, was likely gone forever, siphoned off early. I never met anyone from Alpha Spy Nest, never heard a voice or saw a face. Yet, their methodical precision pulled me back from the brink. My money wasn’t fully restored, but the recovery felt like a win, a lifeline from a faceless ally in a world of digital shadows. If you find yourself in the same situation, you can also reach out to them via: Email: Alphaspynest@mail.com, whatsapp: ‪+15132924878‬, telegram: https://t.me/Alphaspynest,

1 Go to comments
R
Rebeccakirby 5 hours ago
Late Alessandro Izekor try sees Benetton snatch win over Edinburgh

Months earlier, I’d sunk $156,000 into what I thought was a golden opportunity, an online cryptocurrency investment promising sky-high returns. The website was sleek, the testimonials glowing, and the numbers kept climbing. But when I tried to withdraw my profits, the platform froze. Emails went unanswered, support chats died, and my “investment” vanished into the digital ether. I’d been scammed, and the sting of it burned deep.Desperate, I stumbled across Alpha Spy Nest while scouring the web for help. Their site/reviews didn’t promise miracles, just results, specialists in tracking down lost funds from online scams. Skeptical but out of options, I reached out. The process started with a simple form: I detailed the scam, uploaded screenshots of transactions, and shared the wallet addresses I’d sent my crypto to. Within hours, they confirmed they’d take my case.What followed was like watching a high-stakes chess game unfold, though I only saw the moves, not the players. Alpha Spy Nest dove into the blockchain, tracing my funds through a maze of wallets designed to obscure their path. They explained how scammers often use mixers to launder crypto, but certain patterns like timing and wallet clustering, could still betray them. I didn’t understand half of it, but their confidence kept me hopeful. Hours later, they updated me: my money had landed in an exchange account tied to the scam network. They’d identified it through a mix of on-chain analysis and intel from sources I’d never grasp. After 24 hours, i got a message, my funds were frozen in the scammer’s account pending review. Alpha Spy Nest had apparently flagged it just in time.  After some back-and-forth, the exchange with the help of Alpha Spy Nest reversed the transactions, and $145,000 of my original $156,000 hit my wallet. The rest, they said, was likely gone forever, siphoned off early. I never met anyone from Alpha Spy Nest, never heard a voice or saw a face. Yet, their methodical precision pulled me back from the brink. My money wasn’t fully restored, but the recovery felt like a win, a lifeline from a faceless ally in a world of digital shadows. If you find yourself in the same situation, you can also reach out to them via: Email: Alphaspynest@mail.com, whatsapp: ‪+15132924878‬, telegram: https://t.me/Alphaspynest,

0 Go to comments
R
Rebeccakirby 6 hours ago
25 Six Nations Memorable Moments: 5 to 1

Months earlier, I’d sunk $156,000 into what I thought was a golden opportunity, an online cryptocurrency investment promising sky-high returns. The website was sleek, the testimonials glowing, and the numbers kept climbing. But when I tried to withdraw my profits, the platform froze. Emails went unanswered, support chats died, and my “investment” vanished into the digital ether. I’d been scammed, and the sting of it burned deep.Desperate, I stumbled across Alpha Spy Nest while scouring the web for help. Their site/reviews didn’t promise miracles, just results, specialists in tracking down lost funds from online scams. Skeptical but out of options, I reached out. The process started with a simple form: I detailed the scam, uploaded screenshots of transactions, and shared the wallet addresses I’d sent my crypto to. Within hours, they confirmed they’d take my case.What followed was like watching a high-stakes chess game unfold, though I only saw the moves, not the players. Alpha Spy Nest dove into the blockchain, tracing my funds through a maze of wallets designed to obscure their path. They explained how scammers often use mixers to launder crypto, but certain patterns like timing and wallet clustering, could still betray them. I didn’t understand half of it, but their confidence kept me hopeful. Hours later, they updated me: my money had landed in an exchange account tied to the scam network. They’d identified it through a mix of on-chain analysis and intel from sources I’d never grasp. After 24 hours, i got a message, my funds were frozen in the scammer’s account pending review. Alpha Spy Nest had apparently flagged it just in time.  After some back-and-forth, the exchange with the help of Alpha Spy Nest reversed the transactions, and $145,000 of my original $156,000 hit my wallet. The rest, they said, was likely gone forever, siphoned off early. I never met anyone from Alpha Spy Nest, never heard a voice or saw a face. Yet, their methodical precision pulled me back from the brink. My money wasn’t fully restored, but the recovery felt like a win, a lifeline from a faceless ally in a world of digital shadows. If you find yourself in the same situation, you can also reach out to them via: Email: Alphaspynest@mail.com, whatsapp: ‪+15132924878‬, telegram: https://t.me/Alphaspynest,

1 Go to comments
C
Carmen Beechum 8 hours ago
Brumbies on high alert: Len Ikitau’s stark warning over ex-boss

(Telegram: https:// t. me/Pro_ Wizard_ Gilbert_ Recovery)Email (pro wizard gilbert recovery (@) engineer. com)I never imagined I would fall victim to a cryptocurrency scam, but that's exactly what happened. My name is [Carmen Beechum, and I invested $500,000 into what | believed was a legitimate trading platform. Everything appeared professional-the website was well-designed, customer service was responsive, and my trading account even showed promising returns.It all seemed too good to be false.However, when I attempted to withdraw my funds, I was met with endless delays and excuses. First, they claimed there were technical issues, then they needed additional verification, and finally, they requested a release fee before processing my withdrawal. Despite complying with their demands, my account was eventually frozen, and all communication from the platform ceased. That's when reality hit me—l had been scammed out of half a million dollars. Desperate to find a way to recover my money, I searched online for solutions. That's when I came across PRO WIZARD GIlBERT RECOVERY, a company dedicated to helping victims of online financial fraud. At first, I was skeptical-after all, I had already been deceived once, and the last thing I wanted was to fall for another scam. But after speaking with their team and reviewing their success stories, I decided to take a chance.Their experts immediately got to work, using advanced blockchain forensics and investigative tools to trace my stolen funds. WhatsApp: +1 (920) 408‑1234They identified the fraudulent wallets where my money had been transferred and collaborated with financial institutions and law enforcement agencies to take action. Thanks to their persistence and expertise, they were able to freeze the scammers' accounts and successfully recover my $500,000. What seemed like a devastating loss turned into a remarkable recovery. I am incredibly grateful to PRO WIZARD GIlBERT RECOVERY for not only retrieving my funds but also restoring my peace of mind. My experience serves as a warning to others-always be cautious with online investments, but if you ever become a victim, know that recovery is possible with the right experts on your side.

0 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Fin Smith: Northampton Saints face battle to keep England star Fin Smith: Northampton Saints face battle to keep England star
Search