Blues take vital win over Waratahs

Friday 25 April 2014

Bernard Foley was on the losing side as the Blues beat the Waratahs

Bernard Foley's boot unable to make the difference

©PA

The Blues held on to claim a 21-13 win over the Waratahs in their ANZAC Day clash at Eden Park on Friday.

Lolagi Visinia and Francis Saili crossed for the Blues before the visitors hit back through a try by flanker Jacques Potgieter, but it was not enough, with home kicker Simon Hickey outscoring opposite number Bernard Foley 11 points to eight.

The result moves the Blues up from 11th place in the Super Rugby standings to eighth while the Waratahs remained in fourth place.

Kurtley Beale's inclusion for the Waratahs after recovering from a foot injury was a boost ahead of kick-off, but the Australia full-back was unable to swing the result in his side's favour and their record of only one win at Eden Park in 18 years remained.

The Blues took the lead in the seventh minute through a Hickey penalty and they did not relinquish it for the rest of the game.

Foley missed with his first shot on goal shortly after before the Blues extended their advantage when left wing Visinia scored after finding the end of a wide cut-out pass from Ma'a Nonu.

Hickey's conversion attempt from near the touchline faded away before Foley scored his first points of the night to claw his side back into the game at 8-3 at the break.

The Blues fly-half moved his side further ahead with another penalty after the Tahs came into the ruck from the side, with Saili then scoring the second try of the night in the 53rd minute after two great inside passes from Visinia and Charles Piutau.

Hickey slotted the conversion to move his side 18-3 ahead but the Waratahs hit back five minutes later when Potgieter crossed, with Foley's conversion making it an eight-point margin.

Another penalty for the Tahs stand-off cut the gap, but Hickey slotted another to keep his side more than a converted try ahead, with no further points being scored.