Compiled by Ranjika Perera

[caption id="attachment_144182" align="alignleft" width="462"] Blues enjoyed triumph after 18 years while the Highlanders suffer heartbreak in the Super Rugby Trans Tasman final yesterday (19) in Auckland, New Zealand[/caption]

The Blues scored a late try as they beat The Highlanders 23-15 to clinch the Super Rugby Trans-Tasman title in front of their home crowd at Eden Park, New Zealand yesterday (19).

This is the fourth Super Rugby title for the Auckland team, last time they were crowned in 2003.

The Highlanders started off well, looking dangerous with pace which put the home side under some early pressure. They earned a penalty and drew first blood in the game, after a few attacking phases inside the Blue territory.

Home team gets into momentum early

After a couple penalties were conceded by the visitors inside their own 22’, Blues found their way over the whitewash when Otere Black found Mark Telea with a cross-field kick to the far side. The winger cut back and used his long limbs to reach the try line.

That try shifted the momentum towards the home side. They dominated possession and left the Highlanders stuck in defence for a long time.

Blues led 13-6 at halftime

In the 23rd minute, Highlanders Co-Captain Ash Dixon went in high in the tackle and got a yellow card. The Blues opted to take the three points to extend the lead.

However, Highlanders being down to 14 men, managed to draw three points back after Blues conceded a penalty inside their 22’. At the brink of halftime, the Blues managed to add another three-pointer as they took the lead at halftime by 13-6.

Fluctuating fortunes

The Blues came out all guns blazing in the second half and very nearly scored a try but it held up over the line. When they decided to take a shot at goal moments later, Black surprisingly missed from right in front.

However, Highlanders earned a penalty on the other side and Hunt succeeded to bring them back to within four. Momentum was shifting towards the visitors, and they earned another penalty which Hunt kicked over to make it a one-point game. Moments later, Highlanders pushed on and got ahead in the game when Josh Ioane bisected the uprights.

Decisive eight-point led to Blues

The Blues responded with a penalty through Plummer which put them back in front with 10 minutes to play. The match was ultimately decided after a turnover inside the Highlanders’ 22, which led to Hoskins Sotutu bursting through the defenders and offloading to Jonathan Ruru, who passed it to Blake Gibson for the try.

Plummer added the extras to give Blues an eight-point lead with two minutes left, which proved to be too little for the Highlanders to make a comeback.