Chiefs first five Aaron Cruden continued his push for the All Blacks number 10 jersey as he orchestrated a 29-23 victory over the Auckland Blues in their Super Rugby clash in Hamilton.
Aaron Cruden scores for the Chiefs against the Blues 2016. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Cruden, who missed most of last season due to a serious knee injury, had a hand in two of his side's five tries and scored another as the table-topping Chiefs overcame a tougher than expected performance from the lowly Blues.
Prop Mitchell Graham, wing Shaun Stevenson, centre Seta Tamanivalu and lock Brodie Retallick all scored tries for the Chiefs, with fullback Damian McKenzie slotted two conversions.
Fullback Melani Nanai and wing Rieko Ioane scored quick-fire tries early in the second half to give the Blues a surprising 20-10 advantage before the Chiefs fought back. Blues flyhalf Ihaia West added three penalties and two conversions.
"If you read the paper you would think we were going to blow them off the park but we knew coming down here they had a point to prove and we really had to grind it out," Chiefs captain Sam Cane said. "Far from perfect, but a win nonetheless."
The Chiefs had won their last four matches, in four different countries, and having thumped the highly-touted ACT Brumbies 48-23 last week were heavy favourites heading into the game at Waikato Stadium.
Instead it was the Blues who dominated possession and territory in the first half with an exciting attacking game but they failed to capitalise on several opportunities.
Their only reward was two West penalties in the first spell, while the Chiefs scored unconverted tries to Graham, his first in Super Rugby, and wing Stevenson, from sweeping long-range movements.
The visitors exploded early in the second half with converted tries to Nanai, who split the Chiefs' defence open with a scintillating burst from halfway, and Ioane to give them a surprising 20-10 lead.
Cruden, however, produced a superb angled run to drag his side back into the game before he set up Tamanivalu five minutes later to give his side a 22-20 lead with the final quarter looming.
Retallick, who was returning after broken ribs, crashed over with less than five minutes remaining to give the Chiefs a bonus point.
The Chiefs take their record to 6 and 1, while the Blues fall to 2 wins, a draw and 3 losses.
The Blues centre Piers Francis was taken off on a stretcher early in the game, but was later cleared of any serious injury.
