Telea hat-trick gives Blues bonus-point win, Chiefs beat Crusaders
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Mark Telea scored a hat-trick and earned the Blues a bonus point in a 32-12 win over the Waratahs, while the Chiefs came from behind to defeat reigning Super Rugby champions the Crusaders 25-15.
Blues wing Telea touched down his first try two minutes after Joe Marchant – on loan from Harlequins – got off the mark for the New Zealand franchise early in the second half.
Hoskins Sotutu was sent to the sin bin for a high tackle, although referee AJ Jacobs accidentally brandished his red card initially, and the Waratahs made their numerical advantage count when Mark Nawaqanitawase crossed after the hour mark.
Telea then scored twice in the space of four minutes, the second coming after the 80th minute, to send the Blues above the Crusaders and into second in the New Zealand Conference.
FT | @BluesRugbyTeam are underway with their first WIN in #SuperRugby 2020.#WARvBLU #RugbyRecoded pic.twitter.com/eAuJQ3BuKA
— Super Rugby (@SuperRugbyNZ) February 8, 2020
The Chiefs sit top of the section after producing a brilliant response to New Zealand international Sevu Reece touching down twice for the Crusaders in the opening quarter of an hour in Hamilton.
Solomon Alaimalo polished off a sweeping move in the left corner in the 25th minute and Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi stretched over for Warren Gatland's side three minutes into the second half.
A penalty from the Crusaders' David Havili soon tied the game at 15-15, but Sean Wainui took Brad Weber's brilliant offload in for the decisive score, with a penalty from Aaron Cruden wrapping things up late on.
