The NSW Waratahs have set an unwanted piece of history by starting a Super Rugby season with successive losses for the first time, after crashing 32-12 to the Blues in Newcastle.
The Blues scored five tries to two in front of 7491 hardy spectators at a wet McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday night, with winger Mark Telea notching a second-half hat-trick for the visitors, who notched a fifth straight win over the Waratahs.
The New Zealand side never trailed and were more clinical in the rainy conditions against a Waratahs side that made some critical errors, especially at the breakdown.
The Blues were down to 14 men in the second half when influential No.8 Hoskins Sotutu was sin-binned for a high tackle on Waratahs centre Karmichael Hunt.
Tahs’ coach Rob Penney said the defence was a bit vulnerable at times, the kicking was poor and the scrum was creaky on a couple of occasions and said his side needed to be more resilient.
“All in all it was a pretty disappointing performance,” he said.
“We came here with a clear plan and for one reason or another we just deviated off that a little bit.”
Exciting Tahs’ winger Mark Nawaqanitawase went off just after the hour, when he landed awkwardly after athletically diving over the line to score his second try in as many Super games, but avoided serious injury.
“I think his upper thoracic has been stretched in an unusual way, (he)got a bit of a fright but he’s walking and talking and being his jovial self,” Penney said
The Blues, who were also first round losers, scored two tries in the first four minutes of the second half to take control after leading just 8-7 at the break.
A try to flanker Blake Gibson and a penalty to five-eighth Stephen Perofeta set up an 8-0 lead for the Blues but the Waratahs trimmed the deficit on the stroke of halftime when centre Lalakai Foketi smashed his way over.
The Waratahs’ momentum disappeared almost immediately after the break, with the Blues bolting to a 20-7 lead.
Joe Marchant crossed after good work from centres partner TJ Faiane and two minutes later Telea was first to a well-judged stab kick from Sotutu.
The Waratahs woes increased in the 49th minute when captain Rob Simmons opted for a scrum close to the Blues line after the home team were awarded a penalty.
The Blues pack then drove right through their opponents in a demoralising moment for the home team.
“We actually looked quite good in the five minutes coming into that scrum, we took that scrum, got pushed off it and the Blues tails went up,” Penney said.
“And they played appropriately. We succumbed.”
Nawaqanitawase’s try offered the Tahs a sliver of hope, but they lacked the composure to threaten the Blues before Telea crossed twice in the last three minutes to earn his side a bonus point.