Waratahs humiliated in record Blues defeat, ends Super Rugby season
A diabolical display has allowed the Blues to hand the Waratahs a record defeat, in a humiliating Eden Park display which also ended the Tahs’ Super Rugby season.
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A diabolical display has seen the NSW Waratahs booted from finals contention with a record defeat to the Blues.
The Tahs failed to score a try in their final game, hammered 46-6 by a rampant Blues who exploited a confused defence, poor ball handling and an ineffective set-piece that typified a disappointing year that began with high hopes.
After starting the season with four consecutive wins, the Tahs lost eight of their next 10 games.
With a playoff berth on the line if they’d won, NSW showed they are well off the pace in the Super Rugby Pacific competition, and will need an attitude adjustment and fixing of technical flaws in their off-season, as coach Dan McKellar faces an ominous task.
This was their heaviest defeat against the Blues, while Eden Park remains a haunted house for NSW with one win at the venue in 97 years, and that back in 2009.
NSW captain Hugh Sinclair said: “The Blues were too good, too classy for us.
“They were ruthless enough to put us away in that second half, we just couldn’t get a sniff, their defence was great. Back to the drawing board for us.
“We started the season well, knocked off the Chiefs and Brumbies at home, we got some good momentum out of that, but that back half of the year, we lost a few players and our away form was poor, we only won one away game all year.
“In Super Rugby you’ve got to win away games. Coming here is a tough place to come and win, we’ve only done it once in 100 years, so it’s a tough place to win.”
Missing frontline stars Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, Jake Gordon, Max Jorgensen, Rob Leota, Lalakai Foketi and Charlie Gamble through injury, NSW had no punch in attack.
The defending champions made light work of NSW after an even start, with the Tahs using a rush defence to stem the Blues’ width in attack.
It wasn’t long before Auckland unlocked them, then finished the job with precision in the second half.
Australia will be represented by the Brumbies and Queensland Reds in the playoffs, which begin next weekend.
With a 24-6 lead at halftime, the Blues extended their lead six minutes into the second after Taniela Tupou threw a loose pass attempting to clean up a chip kick from Beauden Barrett. The Blues rolled over NSW’s ruck to turn the ball over close to their line, and a quick spread saw Patrick Tuipulotu offload in a Triston Reilly tackle to fullback Corey Evans who strolled over untouched.
Tupou’s hesitant overall performance here, on top of his poor displays throughout 2025, now cast major doubt on whether Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt will select him for the British & Irish Lions series.
In fact, few outside of Langi Gleeson and Angus Bell from the Tahs can claim to have had Lions-worthy form this year.
A rolling maul try by hooker Ricky Riccitelli 10 minutes after Evans’ try put the hosts 38-6 ahead.
By the 69th minute, Rieko Ioane had his hat-trick and equalled Doug Howlett’s try-scoring record (55) for the Blues, latching on to a chip over the top by Barrett and powering over the line despite the tackle attempt of Joey Walton and Darby Lancaster.
The Blues scored four tries to nil in the first half to effectively put an end to the contest.
The Blues opened the scoring in the 11th minute when Mark Tele’a, returning from a three-match suspension, crossed out wide following a break on the opposite flank by Caleb Clarke.
NSW playmaker Jack Bowen kicked a penalty in the 23rd minute to bring the score to 5-3, but Ioane put his side further ahead, storming on to a ball close to the line to crash over, after Barrett had made an earlier midfield break from a scrum move.
Bowen kicked a second penalty in the 34th minute, with the score 10-6 and NSW with a real chance.
However, any hope was dashed when the Blues scored two late tries to end the half.
Ioane crossed for his second, pouncing on a grubber through from centre partner AJ Lam as the Tahs defence was preoccupied with Barrett running behind the play. Ioane had too much pace for halfback Teddy Wilson.
Tele’a then had his double on the halftime siren, after Evans made a break out wide, passed in to Barrett, who kicked the ball forward.
Tahs centre Henry O’Donnell failed to ground the ball in-goal, and as it popped up from his grasp Tele’a was on hand to score.
From 10-6 to 24-6 within four minutes, the Blues essentially crushed NSW’s finals hopes by the break.
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