Click:globe valve manufacture
All Blacks backline duo Mark Telea and Beauden Barrett combined brilliantly for a try during the Blues’ 38-19 victory in their Super Rugby Pacific encounter with the Reds in Brisbane on Friday.
With the match evenly poised at 10-7 in the Auckland-based outfit’s favour, Telea went onto the attack on the edge of the Reds’ 22 after gathering a pass from Sam Nock.
Telea was confronted by Filipo Daugunu but rounded him with ease and soon found himself close to the Reds‘ try-line and threw an inside pass to Barrett, who shrugged off a tackle from Josh Flook before crossing the whitewash.
🔥 Mark Telea and Beauden Barrett. #SuperRugbyPacific #REDvBLUpic.twitter.com/mv1zUpiEf0
— Planet Rugby (@PlanetRugby) May 19, 2023
Click here for teams and scorers
Earlier, the Blues had made a bright start after Barrett slotted a penalty and Zarn Sullivan crossed for the opening try in midway through the half.
Shortly afterwards, the Reds responded with a five-pointer from Flook that Lawson Creighton converted, but the Blues regained the initiative with Barrett’s try.
However, just before half-time, the Reds struck back with a try from Sef Fa’agase which meant the teams changed sides at the interval with the visitors holding a slender 17-14 lead.
The Blues were fastest out of the blocks and were rewarded with a try from their captain, Patrick Tuipulotu, shortly after the restart before Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens increased their lead when he scored their fourth try in the 62nd minute.
The closing stages were frantic and the Reds narrowed the gap via a Harry Wilson try before Telea scored another five-pointer for the visitors. Although that try sealed the win for the Blues, the Reds did not surrender and were rewarded with a late crossing from Jock Campbell in the 78th minute.
That was not the end of the scoring though as Taufa Funaki added the final nail in the Reds’ coffin when he scored the Blues’ sixth five-pointer in the game’s dying moments.
Video credit: Super Rugby Pacific