Sotutu shines in win
THE Blues bludgeoned the Brumbies 34-20 in Auckland to book a place in the Super Rugby PaciƝc Ɲnal, but victory may have come at a cost.
A Blues side basing their game once again on forward power scored four of their Ɲve tries in the Ɲrst 20 minutes to take control of the semi-Ɲnal at Eden Park as they opened up a 27-13 halftime lead.
Their only try in an even second half was scored by number Hoskins Sotutu, giving him 12 for the season.
That lifts Sotutu level with Crusaders winger Sevu Reece as the competition's top try-scorer this year and also equals the most tries by any forward in a Super Rugby season.
Of concern was All Blacks forwards Dalton Papali'i and Ofa Tu'ungafasi both leaving the game with injury in the second spell.
The nature of in-form prop Tu'ungafasi's ailment was unclear while Papali'i took a head knock and reportedly failed an HIA assessment.
Papali'i told Sky Sport he thought he would be cleared to play the Ɲnal.
"I'm sweet, I think I just got a bit of a hit to the teeth, and I'm already missing one so the other ones are hurting a little bit more. But I'm sweet, I'm good to go," he said.
"It means a lot. This group has been through a lot and there's a lot of old boys who have been with this team for so many years. We've got one more game to go.
"I want to say credit to the Brumbies. They are a tough Aussie team and we always expect a test match calibre game against them."
Standout ƞanker Papali'i was leading the Blues in the absence of regular skipper Patrick Tuipulotu, whose campaign was ended by a knee injury suffered in last week's quarter-Ɲnal win over Fijian Drua.
The Blues will face the winner of Saturday's semiƝnal between the Hurricanes and Chiefs in Wellington tomorrow, meaning a New Zealand winner is guaranteed for a 10th straight year.
Coach Vern Cotter's team - who have won 15 straight matches at Eden Park - will have a shot at winning their Ɲrst full Super Rugby title since they clinched their third crown back in 2003.
It was a fourth successive semiƝnal exit for the two-time champion Brumbies and continues the record of Australian teams having never won a semi-Ɲnal on New Zealand soil.
They had won seven straight games coming into the match, with their previous loss being a 46-7 hammering from the Blues at Eden Park in round nine.