BLUES 16 - 16 CHIEFS
FULLTIME: That is it. The match ends in a draw. The first ever draw between the two teams. Both teams look shattered and sad as the rain pours down. Disbelief, sadness, disappointment for both teams in Auckland.
80mins: Double knock on, but it will be a Blues scrum as the clock ticks over 80 minutes.
79mins: Chiefs win the lineout, but the Chiefs drop the ball and the Blues will attack with the clock ticking away.
79mins: Blues clear from their 22, and it is a poor kick. 25 metres out and the Chiefs have a lineout throw.
78mins: The rain is pouring again in Auckland. Two minutes to go.
77mins: Three minutes. 12 phases Blues inside the 22 now, but a mistake by the Blues means Chiefs scrum. Francis was in the pocket, but the Blues did not want to go for the drop goal.
76mins: Four minutes to go. Blues still with the ball outside the 22.
75mins: Five minutes to go Blues lineout 30 metres from the try line.
74mins: Damian McKenzie goes on a big run and SMASH! Augustine Pulu puts on a monster of a tackle, but the Chiefs still have the ball. But two plays later the Blues win a penalty.
72mins: Francis sprays the kick wide. Big roar from the crowd. Damian McKenzie smashes the ball away from the 22 dropout.
71mins: A change for the Blues to go in front as they get the penalty. Will be a tough kick but Francis has the ability to make it.
70mins: Blues get the ball from the restart. They are now looking to build the phases up. Don't look like they are going to try to go on a big run. The referee now playing an advantage.
69mins: From the sideline and it is wide! Tie game heading into the final 10 minutes.
67mins: TRY CHIEFS: Welcome back Johnny Fa'auli! After some razzle-dazzle by the Chiefs, the kick crossfield towards Johnny Fa'auli and he score in the corner to tie the match up. Crucial conversion here. Cruden is attempting the kick to put the Chiefs in the lead.
66mins: Blues now building up the phases. An offload by Michael Collins puts Augustine Pulu into space but he drops the ball and the Chiefs counter. Some fantastic work by James Lowe.
65mins: Rieko Ioane with the barnstorming into the Chiefs 22, but Scott Scrafton drops the ball.
63mins: Both sides making changes. The big change is Akira Ioane is off and Kara Pryor is on.
62mins: Chiefs kick the ball into touch. Blues lineout inside their half. Both sides playing to suit the conditions. it has been a very scrappy match. Next try will probably end up being the match winner (if we have one that is).
60mins: Time off as their appears to be some confusion. But it ends up being a Chiefs scrum just inside their half as we head into the final 20 minutes.
58mins: Blues steal the ball and are on the attack, luckily for the Chiefs it goes into touch as James Lowe was under huge pressure.
56mins: Smart play by Damian McKenzie as the ball goes into touch he throws it straight at Rieko Ioane and wins a penalty as he was considered offside. James Lowe kicks the penalty but it does not go into touch.
54mins: The rain is getting heavier in Auckland making things difficult. Blues win a penalty at the breakdown. They will look to clear it into Chiefs territory.
52mins: PENLATY GOAL CHIEFS: Five point game in Auckland as Cruden lands the penalty goal from right in front, 40 metres out.
51mins: Blues scrum inside their half after a Chiefs handling error. But they win a penalty at the scrum.
50mins: Perfect kick by James Lowe, the ball was about to go dead but stopped millimetres from the line and the Blues are forced to put the ball down. Dropout now.
48mins: Both teams take part in their first force back match of the game as the rain starts to fall again.
46mins: Chiefs ball inside the Blues 22 after a great run by James Lowe. They now go wide, but Damian McKenzie drops the ball. The ground is wet due to the earlier rain.
44mins: Blues with the ball again just inside the Chiefs half, but they drop the ball and counter attack time for the Chiefs.
42mins: PENALTY GOAL BLUES: Blues now lead by eight points in Auckland.
41mins: Blues in a penalty right in front. Blues will go for the points.
40mins: The second half has started in Auckland. Chiefs with the first use of the ball. However, the Blues get the ball and are right inside the Chiefs 22.
HALFTIME: Blues lead at the break inAuckland. Even contest but mistakes and penalties, letting both teams down. The second half will be a big arm-wrestle. Looking forward to the second 40!
39mins: TRY CHIEFS: But it means nothing as Damian McKenzie scores the first try for the Chiefs. They get the ball back from the kickoff and McKenzie spots a gaping hole and puts on the nitrous and scores in the corner.
38mins: PENALTY GOAL BLUES: Piers Francis lands the gaol and now it is a 10-pint lead for the home team.
37mins: Discipline now costing the Chiefs as the Blues win a penalty inside Chiefs territory. They might look at the posts here as it is in range.
36mins: The Blues clear the ball and the Chiefs have possession near halfway. They kick towards the wing of James Lowe but the home team gets possession. After both teams exchange kicks, it will be a Chiefs lineout just outside the 22.
34mins: Blake Gibson gets over the ball and wins the Blues a penalty. Massive win that for the Blues.
33mins: The Chiefs are inches from the line13 phases with the ball in hand for the away side.
32mins: Chiefs kick from the restart and James Lowe soars through the sky and gets the ball. Chiefs right on the attack.
30mins: TRY BLUES: Rieko Ioane scores his first of the match. Quick ball from the Blues and Reiko Ioane gets the ball and runs through a big hole for the first five-pointer of the match. Nine tries in 2017 for Ioane.
29mins: Blues have the numbers on the right wing, and the ball is nearly stolen by James Lowe, but he knocks it on. Blues scrum just outside the Chiefs 22.
27mins: Fantastic kick by Piers Francis as his kick dribbles into touch inside the Chiefs 22, but the Blues are caught napping and the Chiefs take a quick throw.
26mins: Blues turn it over and now have the numbers on the left wing and run that way.
25mins: The Chiefs once again in Blues territory, driving closer to the Blues 22.
24mins: Chiefs now with a scrum penalty and the pushing starts again. Chiefs felt hard done by with the last penalty call so that felt good for the Chiefs. Now the referee is having a talk to both captains saying to calm down or a card will come out.
23mins: Blues win a penalty at the scrum, and layers start pushing each other after the whistle. Blues will kick for touch. Sadly the ball does not go out.
21mins: Patrick Tuipulotu drops the ball and that is the third handling error of the match for the home side. Chiefs scrum on halfway.
19mins: Chiefs finally win a lineout throw. They then clear and caught by Matt Duffie.
18mins: Chiefs take a quick drop out and make quick ground. But they lose the ball and now the Blues attack, but they go into touch. Tim Nanai-Williams is now off and is replaced by Shaun Stevenson
16mins: The Blues win a penalty, 40 from the line, and Piers Francis will kick for goal, but his second attempt of the match goes wide.
15mins: After they complete the scrum.Tawera Kerr-Barlow makes a break and finds James Lowe outwide who kicks back infield, but the ball travels dead.
14mins: Both teams are struggling to complete a scrum. Tim Nanai-Williams has his ankle strapped after an earlier injury.
12mins: Chiefs turn the ball over again inside Blues territory. But a double knock on means it will be a Chiefs scrum.
11mins: PENALTY GOAL BLUES: Tie game in Auckland as Piers Francis lands the penalty goal.
10mins: Blues in another penalty right in front of the posts, 22 metres out. They might go for the points to tie it up.
9mins: The Blues steal another lineout throw. Piers Francis goes to clear the ball and it is charged down, but one of the Chiefs players was offside. Blues will now try clear the ball.
8mins: The Chiefs run it out of their 22. Then TBK clears it down to Piers Francis and now the Blues attack. But Arkia Ioane gives away a penalty. Chiefs will kick towards touch.
6mins: PENALTY GOAL CHIEFS: Damian McKenzie nabs the first points of the night in Auckland. He drills it straight down the middle.
5mins: The Chiefs win a penalty 40 from the line. They might go for the posts.
4mins: The Chiefs go on a big run as they go inside the Blues half. Now the forwards go on the charge. Aaron Cruden nearly breaks the line near the 22.
3mins: Chiefs scrum as the rain starts to fall in Auckland.
2mins: As the referee plays advantage the Chiefs go to clear the ball and it is charged down by Scott Scrafton who would have scored if it wasn; 't for the knock on.
2mins: Chiefs have the lineout throw, but Steven Luatua steals the ball and now the home side go on the attack, but they knock it on.
1mins: SBW gets the ball and takes the tackle. Augustine Pulu clears the ball as Matt Duffie chases and taps the ball back. They kick again and the Chiefs have their first touch of the ball tonight.
KICKOFF: We are underway in Auckland, the Blues have first use of the ball.
7:35pm: Joseph Parker runs the ball out to the middle of the field, handing it to Aaron Cruden........
7:34pm: The last time the Blues beat the Chiefs was all the way back in 2011. The Chiefs have won 11 straight against their Auckland opponents.
7:31pm: Do or die for the Blues tonight. It is their last Super Rugby match at Eden Park for 2017. Can they send the fans home happy?
Hello and welcome to live updates of the Blues hosting the Chiefs at Eden Park in Auckland.
We bring you live streaming written commentary, video highlights (be sure to refresh your browser) and all the action. VIDEO will be available as soon as the final whistle goes.
Commentary will start from around 7:30 pm (NZT). In the meantime check out the video above as Aaron Cruden talkes about the run home for the Chiefs as the season comes to a close.
Lineups
Blues
1. Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 2. James Parsons (c), 3. Charlie Faumuina, 4. Patrick Tuipulotu, 5. Scott Scrafton, 6. Steven Luatua, 7. Blake Gibson, 8. Akira Ioane, 9. Augustine Pulu, 10. Piers Francis, 11. Rieko Ioane, 12. Sonny Bill Williams, 13. George Moala, 14. Matt Duffie, 15. Michael Collins
Reserves - 16. Hame Faiva, 17. Alex Hodgman, 18. Sione Mafileo, 19. Gerard Cowley-Tuioti, 20. Kara Pryor, 21. Sam Nock, 22. Stephen Perofeta, 23. TJ Faiane
Chiefs
1. Kane Hames, 2. Hika Elliot, 3. Nepo Laulala, 4. Dominic Bird, 5. Brodie Retallick, 6. Mitchell Brown,7. Sam Cane (cc), 8. Liam Messam, 9. Tawera Kerr-Barlow, 10. Aaron Cruden (cc), 11. James Lowe, 12. Johnny Fa'auli, 13. Anton Lienert-Brown, 14. Tim Nanai-Williams, 15. Damian McKenzie
Reserves - 16. Hika Elliot, 17. Siegfried Fisi’ihoi, 18. Atu Moli, 19. Taleni Seu, 20. Lachlan Boshier, 21. Jonathan Taumateine, 22. Solomon Alaimalo, 23. Shaun Stevenson
Match facts and stats
Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistants: Nick Briant and Angus Mabey
TMO: Glenn Newman
The Chiefs have won their last 11 games in a row against the Blues, though those wins have come by an average margin of just eight points.
The Chiefs have won three of their last four regular season away games against fellow New Zealand opposition; three of those four games were won by the team trailing at half-time.
The Blues have won five of their last seven Friday fixtures on home turf, including each of their last two; the last time they won more in succession was a seven-game streak from 2012 to 2014.
The Blues have won only one of their last 21 New Zealand derbies, despite leading at half-time in four of their last seven.
The Chiefs will be looking to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time since the 2015 play-offs when they visited the Highlanders.
Past meetings
Head to head: Played 27, Blues 10, Chiefs 17, drawn 0
In Auckland: Played 13, Blues 5, Chiefs 8, drawn 0
Last time played: Chiefs 41 def Blues 26, March 3, 2017
Last time at Eden Park: Chiefs 11 def Blues 8, July 11, 2014
Head-to-head: Blues - $2.60 Chiefs - $1.49
Pre-match banter - Tim Nanai-Williams and Taleni Seu sign contract extension with Chiefs
Versatile pair Tim Nanai-Williams and Taleni Seu have committed to at least one more season of Super Rugby with Chiefs.
Samoan international Nanai-Williams, 27, has signed a one-year extension deal while 23-year-old Seu has committed to the Chiefs for another two years through until 2019.
Nanai-Williams is a proven performer in all the outside back positions, having played 81 games for the Chiefs since his 2010 debut.
The athletic Seu can play at lock and blindside flanker, having been employed mostly as bench cover for those positions this season.
Colin Cooper, who will succeed Dave Rennie as head coach of the Chiefs next year, is delighted the pair are staying.
"Tim brings a huge amount of experience which makes him a real asset on-field and also as a mentor for our younger players coming through," he said.
"Taleni is an explosive, exciting player with a lot of x-factor. Being in just his second year of Super Rugby, I'm excited to see him fulfil his potential in the coming years."
