The Blues remain winless at home this Super Rugby season, dropping their fourth straight at Eden Park with a dismal 20-13 loss to the Jaguares.
This is their worst home streak since losing four in a row to start their 2012 campaign.
Blues vs Jaguares - as it happened
It was also the first-ever win for the Jaguares over a New Zealand team, their first win in New Zealand and their third consecutive road victory, after accounting for the Rebels and Brumbies in recent weeks.
With the benefit of strong wind and heavy rain at their backs, the Argentineans quickly gained the upper hand on their hosts, forcing five penalties in rapid succession and watching Akira Ioane sent to the sin bin.
From the next lineout, the South Americans rumbled to the try-line and carried hooker Augustin Creevy across to open the scoring.
But moments later, still a man short, the Blues took advantage of their first attacking opportunity, as first-five Stephen Perofeta looped a long pass to Tumua Manu to cross in the left corner and even the scores.
Restored to full strength, the hosts built several phases within metres of the Jaguares line and eventually fullback Matt Duffie was able to squirm over near the right corner.
After enjoying the early penalty advantage, the visitors found themselves on the back foot by conceding five in a row and Perofeta took one of those opportunities to pad the score-line within sight of halftime
Already severely short-handed through injury, the Blues lost another player - lock Josh Goodhue – with concussion just seconds before the break.
But the opening half stretched an extra seven minutes, with the Jaguares camped on the Blues line, forcing penalty after penalty, and Ioane flirting with permanent expulsion. Somehow, the defensive line held, captain James Parsons snaffled possession and his side headed to the sheds with a 13-5 lead.
Jaguares had dominated possession and territory for 40 minutes, but hadn't taken full advantage of the elements. They spent the opening 10 minutes of the second half camped in the opposition 22, also without adding to their score.
Finally, they achieved an open-field try to in-form wing Emiliano Boffelli - his ninth of the season - to narrow the gap.
The Blues fell into the trap of not employing a kicking game to dictate territory and allowed the Jaguares to snatch the lead at 17-13, when they launched from yet another attacking scrum and replacement Tomas Lazan plunged over.
Nicolas Sanchez stretched that margin with a penalty and never allowed the Auckland-based side back into the match.
"You have to look at the set-piece in these conditions," lamented Parsons. "We did well for the first 40 minutes, but we had too many errors in the second half and couldn't get that platform.
"It hurts, it really hurts and we’re extremely grateful for the fans that came out and supported us tonight.
“We know we're not delivering what they want, we're not delivering what we want, but at some point it will turn around and hopefully we will benefit from these moments."
The outcome promoted the Jaguares to second in the South African conference and eighth overall with five wins from 10 games. Next, they face the Chiefs in Rotorua on Friday.
The Blues are mired at the bottom of the New Zealand conference, well out of playoff contention, and travel to Sydney next week, entrusted with continuing New Zealand's winning streak over Australian teams, currently standing at 35 games.
Jaguares 20 (Creevy, Boffelli, Lazan tries; Sanchez conversion & penalty) Blues 13 (Manu, Duffie tries; Perofeta penalty)
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