Four days on from their historic golden point Super Rugby success, Moana Pasifika delivered another stirring display to seriously rattle the Blues in the first edition of the cross-town rivalry.
After stunning the Hurricanes at Mt Smart Stadium last Friday night, Moana Pasifika rolled out a completely revamped team featuring 13 debutants for the Blues following multiple late game-day changes due to further Covid cases.
Despite those widespread alterations, Moana's spirit and belief were identical. Their depth performed admirably, too. And their first genuine crowd responded with a buoyant atmosphere to ride their every hit, carry, try.
The Blues, arriving with one starter from the team that defeated the Highlanders in Dunedin last Saturday, were in control as they led 19-0 late in the first half before Moana Pasifika launched their now infamous comeback.
Moana Pasifika hooker Luteru Tolai nabbed a try just before the break – one of five in the match from lineout drives - to spark the crowd into life, and the home side emerged from the sheds breathing fire for the second half.
Solomona Kata, playing on the ground he featured regularly for the Warriors, was held up over the line. Minutes later prop Abraham Pole scored on debut to inspire a surge in belief. Had Tolai not been denied his brace for a double movement, the result could well have been different.
With the Blues firmly on the backfoot All Blacks prop Nepo Laulala opened the door further for Moana after copping a red card for his shoulder to the head clean out in the 58th minute.
When Moana wing Tomasi Alosio scored a brilliant try from Lincoln McClutchie's cross-field kick, Aaron Mauger's men closed to 24-19 in the final quarter. Despite their one man advantage, this time Moana could not land the killer blow but they gave the Blues the standing count.
"There were some tense moments, that's for sure," Blues coach Leon MacDonald said. "A red card put us under more pressure. We were able to get down the other end and execute and turn the game. It was always going to be close. We got what we thought we'd get."
