Blues hold out fast-finishing Hurricanes

The Hurricanes have suffered their first loss of the Super Rugby Pacific season, falling to the Blues in a 25-19 thriller in Wellington.

It was an arm-wrestle of a contest, with the Hurricanes launching a final attack right on fulltime.

Down by six, the home side were unable to find their way across the tryline to clinch the win.

Former Hurricanes hero Beauden Barrett, now five-eighth for the Blues, kicked the ball out to seal victory for the Auckland side.

The Blues were looking to bounce back from their round-two loss to the Brumbies and scored two first-half tries with Hurricanes lock Isaia Walker-Leawere in the sin bin, and pushed the lead to 22-5 by the break.

Big No.8 Hoskins Sotutu did plenty of damage through the middle, while inside centre and ex-NRL star Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was a handful in attack.

But the Hurricanes themselves took advantage of some Blues ill discipline with lock Cameron Suafoa yellow-carded for a high shot on Devan Flanders.

Fullback Josh Moorby crossed in the 50th minute and although he appeared to knock on, referee Nic Berry awarded the five-pointer.

Jordie Barrett's conversion drew the Hurricanes to within three points at 22-19, setting up a nail-biting finale.

Hurricanes 19 [Tyrel Lomax, Josh Moorby, Salesi Rayasi tries; Jordie Barrett 2 con] Blues 25 [Patrick Tuipulotu, Caleb Clarke, Hoskins Sotutu tries; Stephen Perofeta 2 con, 2 pen] HT: 5-22

HURRICANES (1-15): Xavier Numia, Dane Coles (c), Tyrel Lomax, James Blackwell, Isaia Walker-Leawere, Devan Flanders, Du’Plessis KirifI, Peter Lakai, Cameron Roigard, Brett Cameron, Salesi Rayasi, Jordie Barrett, Billy Proctor, Julian Savea, Josh Moorby 

RESERVES: Asafo Aumua, Pouri Rakete-Stones, Pasilio Tosi, Caleb Delany, TK Howden, Jamie Booth, Aidan Morgan, Riley Higgins

BLUES (1-15): Joshua Fusitu’a, Ricky Riccitelli, James Lay, Patrick Tuipulotu, Cameron Suafoa, Tom Robinson Dalton Papalii (c), Hoskins Sotutu, Finlay Christie, Beauden Barrett, Caleb Clarke, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Rieko Ioane, Mark Telea, Stephen Perofeta

RESERVES: Kurt Eklund, Alex Hodgman, Nepo Laulala, James Tucker, Adrian Choat, Taufa Funaki, Bryce Heem, Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens

Referee: Nic Berry
Assistant referees: Dan Waenga, Jackson Henshaw