Caleb Clarke yesterday scored a hat-trick of tries as the Auckland Blues overpowered the Waikato Chiefs 41-10 to win the Super Rugby Pacific final and land their first fully fledged Super Rugby title since 2003.
The three scores from the All Blacks winger, and further tries from Akira Ioane and A.J. Lam proved more than enough for the Blues to finally end years of under-achievement at a sold-out Eden Park.
In wet conditions that suited their game, the Blues did as they have done all season — kick for position, pound away at the opposition with big ball carries and unleash their backs to take advantage of holes in the defense.
Photo: AFP
It was a fourth full Super Rugby title for the Blues after 1996, 1997 and 2003. They also won the limited 2021 Trans-Tasman competition played during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I think it’s going to take a while to sink in, but we finally got the job done,” said Clarke, whose father, Eroni, won the 1996 and 1997 titles alongside the likes of Jonah Lomu, Zinzan Brooke and Michael Jones. “The 23 out here weren’t doing it alone, we had a whole tribe behind us and so we’re just super proud. We’re just happy man.”
The Chiefs, also losing finalists last year, played with scraps of possession and were eventually worn down by the sheer number of tackles they had to make, leaving Eden Park with just one try and a penalty on the board.
Photo: AFP
“Very tough one tonight,” Chiefs skipper Luke Jacobson said. “Credit to the Blues, they came out and set it from the get-go and made it very difficult for us.”
It was the direct power of the Blues pack that allowed the home side to open the scoring in the 12th minute through a lunge for the line from flanker Ioane.
Two big carries from skipper Patrick Tuipulotu, who declared himself fit for the final despite sustaining a knee injury last week, then quickly got the Blues back in the red zone and Harry Plummer kicked a penalty to extend the lead to 10-0.
Photo: AP
Damian McKenzie cut the deficit with a penalty in the 18th minute, but the Blues were soon driving toward the Chiefs’ line again and a flurry of offloads by the corner flag allowed Clarke to cross for their second try.
Flyhalf Plummer converted, but although the Blues continued to dominate territory and possession, it was not until just before halftime that his second penalty took the lead out to 20-3.
The second half resumed in the same vein and referee Nick Berry finally tired of repeated offenses by the Chiefs in the red zone and sent George Dyer for 10 minutes in the sin bin.
Photo: AP
Clarke immediately crossed for his second try from an attacking scrum and added his third just after the Chiefs were restored to 15 men in the 62nd minute.
The Chiefs finally put together the sort of attacking play that got them to the final to send Simon Parker in for a try, but the game was long gone by then.
Center Lam got over the line to put a gloss on the scoreline with Plummer converting to make it a perfect seven from seven from the kicking tee.
“I’m just stoked again that we did it for this region,” Plummer said. “We played how we wanted to, we had a game plan and the boys fronted up. It’s Blues rugby.”
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