Lions left feeling Blue
The Blues climbed off the bottom of the Super Rugby table after a dogged 25-3 win over the Lions.
Last Updated: 11/05/12 10:21am
The Blues climbed off the bottom of the Super Rugby table after a dogged 25-3 win over the Lions.
Michael Hobbs, Alby Mathewson and Luke Braid scored tries and Gareth Anscombe added 10 points as the beleaguered Auckland outfit got the win they needed to leapfrog the Lions.
However the Blues really should have won by a more convincing margin but they failed to make the most of their opportunities, while Anscombe had an off-day with the boot.
The Lions, who have recorded just the one victory all season, had their moments but they could only muster a penalty from Elton Jantjies.
In fact Jantjies had kicked the visitors into an early lead but that was as good as it got.
Yellow carded
A beautifully executed backs move opened up the Lions defence for Hobbs to ghost through and gift the Blues a lead they would never lose.
Anscombe slotted over the conversion and then added a penalty - and only some desperate defence from the Lions prevented the Blues from being further in front by the break.
Anscombe, though, extended the advantage with a penalty after the interval and there was no way back for the Lions when Deon van Rensburg was yellow carded for killing the ball on his own line.
Pat Lam's side finally crossed for their second try of the match when Liaki Moli popped the ball up to Mathewson as a scrum disintegrated and the replacement No.9 sprinted away to score.
And the Blues ensured they snapped their seven-game losing streak when Braid, who led from the front throughout, was driven over as the hooter sounded. Anscombe converted.
