Wow, Super Rugby is back, and with a bang. Champions Highlanders travelled to Auckland to face the rejuvenated Blues under first year coach Tana Umaga.
It was a thriller deserving of the opening game of Super Rugby, with 64 points scored in a one-score game. The teams shared seven tries, but the try of the game, nay the try of the season came in the 77th minute and Ben Smith will have his name down on the scoresheet.
It came off a move from a scrum in their own half. Rookie centre Matt Faddes ran a diagonal line gaining a lot of ground before offloading to Naholo. Then the magic happened. Receiving the ball back from Naholo, somehow Faddes kept the move alive with a wonderful offload over the defenders head to Ben Smith. Some interplay with Aaron Smith brought Ben Smith just short of the line, and Ben was able to get the try himself just two recycles later.
It gave Highlanders a glimpse of the win, but they will ultimately have to settle for just one losing bonus point.
https://youtu.be/rjRqZdIMxCs?t=1m16s
It's worth looking at the other six tries in the first minute of the video, with the first two Blues tries from Melani Nanai and Blake Gibson very good efforts by themselves. Waisake Naholo scored just before half-time with a try that would give Joe Schmidt wet dreams too.
