The Blues reasserted their position as Auckland’s top dogs with a commanding 36-17 victory over cross-town rivals Moana Pasifika at Eden Park on Saturday, recording consecutive wins for the first time this season and leapfrogging their opponents on the Super Rugby Pacific table.
Key moments:
3′ – Ricky Riccitelli powers over for Blues’ opening try following sustained forward pressure (5-0)
16′ – Beauden Barrett shows individual brilliance with chip-and-chase try after Dalton Papali’i turnover (10-0)
26′ – Patrick Tuipulotu extends lead from close range after Anton Segner’s powerful break (17-0)
31′ – Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa muscles over for Moana’s first try following multiple phases (17-5)
37′ – Mark Tele’a secures bonus-point try before half-time after AJ Lam’s line break (24-5)
48′ – Hoskins Sotutu crashes over following penalty advantage and powerful Blues’ attack (31-5)
57′ – Miracle Fai’ilagi responds with Moana’s second try after sustained pressure (31-12)
66′ – Kurt Eklund scores from driving maul to seal victory for the Blues (36-12)
80′ – Kyren Taumoefolau’s acrobatic finish from Garden-Bachop’s cross-kick provides late consolation (36-17)
In near-perfect conditions in front of approximately 15,000 fans, Vern Cotter’s defending champions delivered their most complete performance of the 2025 campaign, smothering Moana Pasifika’s vaunted attack with a physically dominant display that rekindled memories of last year’s title-winning form.
The match began with a moment of silence to honour the recent passing of Dr. John Mayhew, the longtime Blues and All Blacks team doctor, setting a sombre tone before the action got underway.
From the opening whistle, the Blues pack laid the foundation for victory, dominating at the set-piece and controlling the collision zone to severely limit Moana’s attacking opportunities. The hosts looked determined to establish their physical superiority early, with powerful carries from Caleb Clarke and Josh Beehre setting up field position deep in Moana territory within the first two minutes of play.
The Blues capitalised on this early territory when returning hooker Ricky Riccitelli, reinstated to the starting lineup ahead of Kurt Eklund, powered over for the opening try after just three minutes. Barrett’s conversion attempt sailed wide of the left upright, leaving the score at 5-0.
Beauden Barrett, continuing his return to form after a hand injury, then produced a moment of individual brilliance in the 16th minute. After Dalton Papali’i ripped the ball free in a tackle, the All Blacks fly-half chipped over the Moana defence, regathered his own kick and slid over for a spectacular try that electrified the Eden Park crowd.
The Blues’ physical ascendancy was further emphasised in the 26th minute when captain Patrick Tuipulotu crashed over for their third try. The score came after Anton Segner made a searing break off the back of a lineout, bringing the Blues within inches of the try line. After several phases of forward drives, Tuipulotu received the ball at first receiver and, with Papali’i adding his weight to the push, barged over despite the attention of three Moana defenders. Barrett converted this time, extending the lead to 17-0 and leaving Tana Umaga’s side with a mountain to climb.
Moana Pasifika, having been starved of possession and territory for much of the half, finally sparked into life around the half-hour mark. After winning a penalty 30 metres out, they kicked to the corner and executed their lineout drive effectively. When the maul was halted, they kept the ball tight through the forwards, with both Lalomilo Lalomilo and Miracle Fai’ilagi making strong carries close to the line. Eventually, powerful number eight Semisi Tupou Ta’eiloa showed tremendous strength to splinter away from a ruck and muscle over for their first points. William Havili’s conversion attempt sailed wide, leaving the score at 17-5.
Just as it seemed Moana Pasifika might be working their way back into the contest, the Blues delivered a crucial psychological blow just before half-time. AJ Lam, celebrating his 50th Super Rugby appearance, made a devastating break through the middle following a dominant Blues scrum. As Moana’s defence scrambled, Finlay Christie whipped a pass to Mark Tele’a who stepped inside the last defender to score their bonus-point try. Barrett added the extras to give the Blues a commanding 24-5 lead at the interval.
Moana Pasifika started the second half with renewed purpose when Kyren Taumoefolau broke down the right wing, but AJ Lam’s excellent cover tackle prevented a certain try. Any hopes of a comeback were effectively extinguished just minutes later when an ill-disciplined moment proved costly. After Abraham Pole was penalised for dissent at a scrum, the Blues attacked with purpose. Following the resulting lineout near the halfway line, Lam burst through the midfield with a powerful run that sent Ardie Savea reeling backwards. With Moana’s defence in disarray, the Blues recycled quickly and Hoskins Sotutu showed remarkable strength to break through multiple tackles and power over from ten metres out. Barrett’s conversion extended the lead to 31-5 after 48 minutes.
Moana Pasifika, to their credit, continued to fight and were rewarded in the 57th minute when Miracle Fai’ilagi, returning from a hamstring injury, showed his class with a well-taken try. After gaining field position from a penalty, they mounted sustained pressure near the Blues’ line. Tupou Ta’eiloa was stopped just short before Fai’ilagi, positioned perfectly to receive the pass, powered over from close range. Patrick Pellegrini, on as a replacement fly-half, added the conversion to reduce the deficit to 31-12.
The Blues, however, quickly reasserted their dominance. Winning another penalty in Moana territory, they kicked to the corner where replacement hooker Kurt Eklund, having just entered the fray, found his jumper accurately at the lineout. The Blues pack set a textbook driving maul, and despite determined Moana resistance, Eklund controlled the ball at the back before grounding it over the line for the Blues’ sixth try. Stephen Perofeta, who had replaced Barrett, missed the conversion, but at 36-12 with just 15 minutes remaining, the result was beyond doubt.
As the clock ticked into the final minute, Moana Pasifika mounted one last attack after winning a breakdown penalty. Jackson Garden-Bachop, whose selection ahead of the in-form Patrick Pellegrini had raised eyebrows pre-match, sent a perfectly weighted cross-field kick to the right wing where Kyren Taumoefolau produced a highlight-reel moment. The dynamic winger leapt high to claim the ball, then executed an acrobatic finish, grounding the ball millimetres inside the field of play while his body was suspended over the dead-ball line. It was a moment of individual brilliance but merely a consolation for a side whose impressive two-match winning streak had come to an abrupt halt. Pellegrini’s conversion attempt drifted wide, leaving the final score at 36-17.
The Blues’ dominance was particularly evident in the scrum, where they consistently won penalties, and in defence, where they made over 130 tackles to effectively nullify a Moana Pasifika side that entered the match as the competition’s top point-scorers.
“It’s been our most complete performance of the season,” said Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu after the match. “We knew we needed to establish our physicality early and not let them play that expansive game they’ve been so dangerous with. The boys really stepped up today.”
Moana Pasifika captain Ardie Savea, who was largely contained by the Blues’ defensive effort, acknowledged his side’s struggles: “We just couldn’t get our game going today. The Blues controlled the breakdown and slowed our ball down, which made it difficult to get into our rhythm. Full credit to them – they were the better team.”
The comprehensive victory sees the Blues climb to eighth on the Super Rugby Pacific ladder, with their record improving to 3-5. For Moana Pasifika, who remain winless in five meetings with their Auckland rivals since joining the competition in 2022, the result was a sobering reminder of the gap that still exists between the two franchises despite their recent improvements.
“This is the standard we need to maintain,” said Lam after the match. “It was special to get the win in my 50th game, but more importantly, we’re starting to play the kind of rugby we know we’re capable of. The challenge now is to back it up week after week.”
Blues number eight Hoskins Sotutu, who scored his second try of the season in the second half, added: “We’ve been working hard on our physicality at training, and today it clicked. When we control the contact area like we did today, we give our backs the platform they need to express themselves.”
For Moana Pasifika, who host the Brumbies in Pukekohe next Saturday, Taumoefolau again looked their brightest spark, while Fai’ilagi and Tupou Ta’eiloa were the best performers in a struggling forward pack. Fine Inisi also showed promising touches when introduced in the second half, suggesting he could see more game time in coming weeks.
The Blues’ victory ensures they maintain city supremacy for another season, but more importantly, it keeps their play-off hopes alive after a difficult start to their title defence. With a blockbuster clash against the Crusaders in Christchurch looming next Friday night, this performance provides a timely confidence boost for Cotter’s men.
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