Things haven’t exactly gone to plan this season for the reigning champions of Super Rugby Pacific, but they have scraped into the playoffs, finishing in sixth place after smashing the NSW Waratahs, 46-6, at Eden Park on Saturday afternoon.
Vern Cotter and the Blues have struggled to close out games this season, falling agonisingly short in multiple games this season, probably most notably against the Chiefs in round five where a late Xavi Taele sideline conversion hit the left post, giving the Chiefs a 32-31 victory.
This time around, the Blues will take some confidence into the qualifying final on Saturday night in Hamilton, after starting to get some backline momentum going against the NSW Waratahs.
Star Blues loose forward Hoskins Sotutu believes that the team used the loss to Moana Pasifika as motivation to get better over the bye period before the Waratahs game.
“Yeah, it was real disappointing for us, and a lot of us took that loss personally,” Sotutu told media post-match at Eden Park.
“So when you go into the bye it was a bit of a long wait to be able to make it right again. But being able to sort of focus on this week and put out that that performance was very good for the boys.”
Sotutu admits it was difficult to put the emotion behind them in the lead-up to the game, but believes they got the balance right in the end.
“It’s sort of a bit hard not to get over emotional, I guess, with them leaving and then possibly this being the last game of the season sort of thing if we don’t front up.
“So being able to control our emotion and the way that we’re able to be accurate on the field through our set piece through our carry and clean and I think we got the balance right tonight.”
Cotter told media post-match at Eden Park in Auckland that the victory on Saturday was built on a week of emotion with some players playing their last game at Eden Park.
“It was a really nice week, it was a good week because there was a little bit of emotion around the players, there was a theme around enjoying ourselves,” Cotter said.
“Making sure we went out and enjoyed ourselves in front of the crowd and enjoying yourself means you’ll give a bit more for your teammate.”
Cotter enjoyed seeing his backline grow some confidence, especially after a disappointing defeat to cross-town rivals Moana Pasifika in round fourteen.
“We tried to work on that cohesion that we were lacking a little bit against Moana, so I think we saw that in the first half, and I think the team grew in confidence.
“I think our defence picked up and came a little bit harder off the line, and started hitting a bit harder, and turnovers from that.
“I thought the kick game variety in our kick game and moving the ball, it was just nice to see the group of men come together and practice for the last time and all play for each other.”
When asked about whether Cotter made a change to the Blues game plan against the Waratahs, where his team seemed to play with more freedom in the backline, Cotter explained that he wanted his team to keep varying their play.
“You just got to keep varying what we’re doing and it was a good week. So there were the short side attacks, it was moving the ball and I thought the kicking game was pretty good.”
