Hurricanes edge out Blues 29-24 after second half fightback

Hurricanes 29-24 Blues, Westpac Stadium
Scorecard

Hurricanes came from behind to edge out Blues 29-24 in their Super Rugby clash at Westpac Stadium on Saturday.

The win means Hurricanes finished the league stage second in the New Zealand Conference behind the Crusaders while Blues are at the bottom of the group.

Otere Black kick-started the proceedings for the Blues with an eighth minute penalty following which Tanielu Tele'a dotted down in the 13th minute for the opening try. Black also kicked the extras to make the scoreline 0-10.

The visitors further extended the lead to 17 points when Caleb Clarke crashed over the line in the 36th minute before Hurricanes finally managed to open their account with a 38th minute try from Peter Umaga-Jensen.

As the half-time was approaching, Blues got their third try through Melani Nanai Vai as the teams finished the first half with a 5-24 scoreline.

Blues could not quite build up from their momentum in the first half as they struggled to score a single point but Hurricanes with Fletcher Smith and Isaia Walker-Leawere scoring tries in the first 10 minutes after the break to narrow down the gap to five points.

Just as the game was heading for a tight finish, Umaga-Jensen's second in the 64th minute helped Hurricanes level the score while a conversion and a penalty from Jackson Garden-Bachop ensured the hosts completed a five point win.

Highlights of the game: