The Western Force have been overpowered by the ladder-leading Blues, who crossed eight times in a 50-3 triumph at Eden Park on Friday evening.
The Blues were far too strong for the Force, whose only points came from a first-half Ben Donaldson penalty kick in the Round 7 Super Rugby Pacific clash. The home side led 30-3 at half-time and didn’t let up.
The hosts had seven different try scorers, with scrum-half Taufa Funaki getting a double, but it was the Blues’ forward pack who dominated, piercing the Force defence through the middle time and time again.
The Force struggled for fluency in a game where they often took to the skies with the boot in possession without much success.
The Blues had 7-1 clean breaks while the Force conceded 17 turnovers and had 28 missed tackles.
The heavy defeat comes ahead of the Force’s Round 8 bye where the squad will re-group after two weeks on the road.
Force acting captain Nic White told Sky: “It’ll be good to get home. It’s not over for us. We’re ready to go again. We’ve got to stack on some good wins.”
Donaldson’s kicking was a feature early as the Force gained good territory, while Tom Franklin’s big hit on Ricky Riccitelli forced a turnover.
But the Blues went ahead after runs from Dalton Papali’i and Caleb Clarke. The Force defence had held up under 10 phases but, after an offside, Ofa Tu'ungafasi eventually got over. Harry Plummer nailed the conversion.
The Blues crossed again in the 20th minute after Max Burey kicked out on the full following a series of kick tennis, with Riccitelli dotting on the back of a maul. Plummer added the extras for a 14-0 lead.
Tom Horton forced a turnover in good field position with the ball carrier holding on, but the Force spilled the line-out amid a period of attacking pressure.
The Blues committed three penalties as the Force closed on the tryline but eventually settled for a penalty kick, taken by Donaldson.
The home side, however, added a third try practically from the kick-off with Papali’I breaking two tackles and offloading to Laghlan McWhannell to score. Plummer converted for a 21-3 lead.
It was 28-3 before half-time when the Blues kept the ball alive on the right edge, with scrum-half Funaki bursting clear to score. Plummer converted.
It was more of the same after the break as the home side spread the ball from left to right edges, before Hoskins Sotutu crossed for a fifth try. Plummer pushed his conversion wide.
Funaki grabbed his second try in the 52nd minute after full-back Max Burey’s kick was charged down, with Clarke produced some brilliance down the left to set up the scrum-half. Plummer missed the extras.
The Blues went further ahead in the 55th minute when Corey Evans cut out winger Chase Tiatia's pass intended for Reed Prinsep, racing clear for a try, easily converted by Plummer for a 45-3 lead.
The Force produced some encouraging attacking play down the left led by Tiatia’s chip and chase, before Burey’s pass wide to the right for a wide-open Kuenzle frustratingly went astray and out.
The Blues added an eighth try in the 76th minute, with AJ Lam dotting down the left side.
Blues 50
Tries: Tu’ungafasi (13’), Riccitelli (20’), McWhannell (30’), Funaki (37’, 52’), Sotutu (43’), Evans (55’), Lam (76’)
Conversions: Plummer (5/7), Cashmore (0/1)
Penalties: Nil
Force 3
Tries: Nil
Conversions: Nil
Penalties: Donaldson (1/1)
