Blues secure first win of season in Wellington thriller

Hurricanes 29-33 Blues

The Blues claimed their first victory of the Super Rugby Pacific 2025 season with a hard-fought 33-28 win over the Hurricanes at Sky Stadium, Wellington.

Despite playing with 14 men for most of the second half, the Blues showed resilience and discipline to overcome a strong Hurricanes side in a contest full of momentum swings and decisive plays.

The Hurricanes started aggressively, with fly-half Harry Godfrey making a significant impact in the opening exchanges. His accurate goal-kicking kept the scoreboard ticking as he slotted four penalties in the first 30 minutes, punishing the Blues' lack of discipline at the breakdown.

Godfrey was also instrumental in the first try of the match. In the 27th minute, the Hurricanes capitalized on sustained pressure in the Blues’ 22, with Godfrey slicing through the defensive line to dive over for a well-taken try. His conversion brought his personal tally to 19 points, giving the Hurricanes a comfortable lead at 19-7.

The Blues, however, found a way back into the game. A dominant scrum forced a penalty try in the 31st minute, highlighting their strength in the set-piece battle.

They followed up with another try before halftime as hooker Ricky Riccitelli—facing his former team—powered over after a well-executed rolling maul. With both tries converted, the Blues closed the gap to 19-14 at halftime.

The Blues started the second half strongly and quickly took the lead. In the 43rd minute, number eight Hoskins Sotutu finished off a slick attacking move to score his first try of the season. The conversion pushed the Blues ahead 21-19, shifting the momentum in their favor.

However, just moments later, the match took a dramatic turn. Sotutu was shown a red card in the 48th minute for a dangerous tackle, leaving the Blues a man down for the remainder of the match.

Sensing an opportunity, the Hurricanes struck back. In the 55th minute, Kini Naholo finished off a flowing backline move to score in the corner. Godfrey added another penalty, extending the Hurricanes' lead to 28-21 with just 20 minutes left.

Despite being a man down, the Blues refused to give in. Beauden Barrett and Caleb Clarke combined beautifully in the 71st minute, setting up Mark Tele’a, who sprinted past defenders and powered over the line for a spectacular try. The conversion leveled the scores at 28-28, setting up a thrilling finale.

In the final moments, the Blues edged ahead when a late penalty was awarded just outside the Hurricanes’ 22. The resulting kick sailed through the posts, sealing a 33-28 victory for the visitors.