The Western Drive’s hopes of creating the finals for the primary time have taken a success after struggling a bonus level loss to the Blues at Eden Park, which noticed the defending champions transfer into the highest six for the primary time in 2025.
Regardless of firmly being within the contest at half-time, Simon Cron’s males couldn’t include the Blues when the house aspect obtained their palms on the ball of their attacking zone and ultimately ran out 40-19 winners.
The six tries to a few win meant not solely did the Drive fail to achieve a shedding level, in addition they allowed Vern Cotter’s males a valuable additional level that would show telling when the finals are decided in a month.
Certainly, having began the weekend in ninth spot on 17 factors, the Blues joined the Drive on 22 factors however moved forward of them into sixth spot due to a superior for-and-against.
The Drive weren’t helped by a number of perplexing calls by Ben O’Keeffe within the first half, however there’s no doubting that that they had their possibilities too.
Harry Potter continued his superb season, however the Wallabies winger additionally spilt the ball on the deck simply metres out after making a giant linebreak early on.
Then Nic Dolly, the Australian-born English capped hooker, additionally spilt the ball on the deck to imply the Drive had a strive overturned.
The little errors mounted up and proved telling, particularly with the Blues holding dominance on the scrum.
“I feel we have been just a bit bit too frantic in our assault zone and doubtless spilt the ball just a few too many instances,” skipper Jeremy Williams mentioned. “it’s clearly fairly greasy out right here and ball safety was a giant factor.
“There have been fairly just a few momentum swings there. Initially of the primary half we have been preventing very well, and it was simply lapses in ten minute blocks that obtained away from us. I assumed we fought again, however the scoreline is disappointing.”
Harry Potter was as soon as once more spectacular for the Drive however his superb work wasn’t sufficient because the Blues bounced again to maneuver into the highest six. (Photograph by Phil Walter/Getty Photos)
The 21-point loss meant the Drive didn’t earn a single level on their two-week tour of New Zealand.
The Drive did have some robust performers.
Carlo Tizzano was as soon as once more distinctive, making linebreaks, stealing balls on the breakdown and scoring on the maul.
Dolly was spectacular in tight, Williams was robust on the lineout and Nick Champion de Crespigny by no means shirked something.
Kurtley Beale additionally had his moments, scoring a strive after an correct cross-field kick beneath benefit from Ben Donaldson which additionally concerned an excellent flick go from Mac Grealy.
However, in the end, the Drive made too many errors to remain within the combat.
Early on the Drive fired a lot photographs, however none of them landed.
Initially it didn’t damage, however then after Marcel Renata scored regardless of a transparent sort out previous the ruck from Anton Segner, which additionally denied Henry Robertson a play on the tight-head prop, the Blues have been over for the opening strive within the fifteenth minute.
It didn’t take lengthy for the Blues to attain once more as Cole Forbes ran by means of a gaping gap to attain the house aspect’s second strive.
However the Drive didn’t go away and ultimately their persistence was rewarded as Tizzano scored.
The Drive’s hopes of constant the momentum have been then stopped when O’Keeffe didn’t see a transparent infringement on the maul.
The Blues then punished the Drive early within the second half as AJ Lam scored together with his first contact of the ball within the forty first minute.
Beale, enjoying his first match since rupturing his Achilles for Randwick final June, obtained one again for the guests after some brilliance from Donaldson and Grealy.
However two tries in 5 minutes then blew open the rating as Laghlan McWhannell and Forbes scored.
The Drive didn’t go away, with Dolly scoring from one other rolling maul, however a attempt to Josh Beehre ensured the Blues obtained an important bonus level.
