Live updates: Super Rugby 2020 - Waratahs v Blues from Sydney

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Waratahs 12 - 32 Blues

80min - That's full time. Blues win. 

80min - TRY - Blues, Telea gets another - far too easy. Kick is wide. 

78min - TRY - Blues, the Tahs probably should've scored their but they turn the ball over - Mark Telea gets the ball and runs through three defenders to score. Kick is good. 

77min - Another knock on, this really has been a bad game of rugby - error-wise. 

74min - So bad from Plummer, with the ball, five minutes to go and it's an up and under from half way - it's out on the full. 

71min - Penalty won by the Blues, and they will look to ice this game. 

70min - The Tahs win a free kick off the scrum, they need to score next to have any chance. 

66min - The Waratahs win the ball and Maddocks makes a break, but the Blues do well on defence - Papali'i earns the turnover. 

65min - Great signs as Mark Nawaqanitawase walks off the ground himself. 

61min - TRY - Waratahs, ouch, that looks saw, the youngster Mark Nawaqanitawase scores after a nice backline move, he lands on his neck and is getting treatment. Kick is wide. 

61min - The Tahs are building some pressure here, they are into the 22 now. 

57min - Knock on from the Tahs, boy they have been bad tonight. 

56min - A high tackle, it's Sotutu who is off for a high tackle, yellow card. 

52min - Not releasing, the Blues win a penalty and the Blues will kick for the points. It's wide - bad miss that. 

51min - Lovely kick, much better from Perofeta, finds touch with a huge nudge. 

49min - I said it was a risk, the Blues win a penalty - big Ofa puts on a shift in his first scrum of the match. 

48min - Under advantage, the Waratahs win a penalty and they opt to take the scrum, big risk this. 

44min - TRY - Blues, boom, the visitors come back down the field and score again, Sotutu sees a gap puts in a grubber and Mark Telea scores his first for the Blues. Kick is wide. 

42min - TRY - Blues, much better from the Blues, they shift the ball left and it's the English import who scores - Joe Marchant opens his try scoring account. Kick is good. 

41min - Back underway. 

Half time. 

39min - TRY - Waratahs, the hosts work the ball left, through the hands and they score through their centre Lalakai Foketi, kick is good. 

35min - Tahs win a penalty at the scrum, they are really hanging in here. 

35min - Another knock on from the Waratahs, off the high ball. 

30min - Really sloppy from the Waratahs, another knock on - Blues scrum. 

28min - Turnover at the breakdown, massive there from Mark Telea - they will kick for touch. 

25min - Another penalty at scrum time for the Blues, they will take the points. It's good. 

21min - Knock on from the Tahs, scrum Blues. 

20min - An offside against the Waratahs, they make a break but then a mistake comes. 

17min - High tackle called against Faiane, the Tahs will kick for the points. It's wide. 

13min - A mini break there from Duffie, he does well two break two tackles then put a grubber in behind - the Tahs clear. 

11min - TRY - Blues, Hoskins Sotutu puts together a cracking run - huge metres, then Blake Gibson gathers the ball and scores. Kick is wide. 

9min - Another Blues penalty and they shift up field.

8min - The Blues keep their shap in the scrum and win a penalty - they continue what they did against the Cheifs last week. 

5min - A cross field kick comes from the Waratahs, Duffie takes the fair catch and clears.

4min - Really good work at the breakdown from the hosts and they win a penalty and will kick for touch. 

2min - Knock on comes from the Tahs and the Blues clear, as do the Waratahs, Blues lineout. 

1min - We are underway here in NSW. 

Kia ora, good evening and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the Super Rugby match between the Waratahs and Blues in Sydney. 

TAB Odds: Waratahs $1.79   Blues $2.03

Pre-match chat: Injuries no excuse for Blues against Waratahs

The Blues won't use the longest injury list in Super Rugby as any excuse when they tackle the NSW Waratahs in Newcastle.

Leon MacDonald's team have made a poor start to the season, disintegrating in the second half of their 37-29 loss to the Chiefs at Eden Park before diagnosing some unwelcome medical news.

Star winger Rieko Ioane (hand) is out for several weeks, along with impressive prop Alex Hodgman (calf), while hooker Ray Niuia's (knee) season is over.

Seven other squad members are unavailable for Saturday night's clash, including last week's starting flanker Tony Lamborn, who has picked up an infection.

The multiple blows aren't what MacDonald needs as he tries to steer the Blues into the finals for the first time since 2011.

Without access to new signing Beauden Barrett until mid-April - the All Blacks five-eighth is enjoying an extended off-season break - the Blues will need to rack up early-season success to ensure they're still in contention at that point.

"Injuries are part and parcel of this competition and this sport but gives us the opportunity early in the season to give opportunities to others," Macdonald said.

"We're confident in all our squad. I've got no doubt they can step up."

MacDonald has promoted strong-running provincial winger Jordan Hyland to replace Ioane while Blake Gibson starts at openside flanker. The loosehead prop vacancy is filled by powerhouse 2018 All Black Karl Tu'inukuafe.

The coach took a glass half-full approach to their opening loss, highlighting how impressive they were in creating three first-half tries, including a brace to Ioane.

"Some of our play and our intent in the first half in particular and for periods of the second half were outstanding.

"We executed some strikes really well and I felt our defensive line got up and created a lot of pressure but there were some momentum swings that we didn't manage as well as we'd like."

Waratahs: 1-Tom Robertson, 2-Robbie Abel, 3-Harry Johnson-Holmes, 4-Tom Staniforth, 5-Rob Simmons, 6-Lachie Swinton, 7-Michael Hooper, 8-Jack Dempsey, 9-Jake Gordon, 10-Will Harrison, 11-Mark Nawaqanitawase, 12-Karmichael Hunt, 13-Lalakai Foketi, 14-Alex Newsome, 15-Kurtley Beale

Reserves: 16-Damien Fitzpatrick, 17-Angus Bell, 18-Tetera Faulkner, 19-Ryan McCauley, 20-Jed Holloway, 21-Tepai Moeroa, 22-Mitch Short, 23-Jack Maddocks

Blues: 15-Matt Duffie, 14-Jordan Hyland, 13-Joe Marchant, 12-TJ Faiane, 11-Mark Telea, 10-Stephen Perofeta, 9-Jonathan Ruru, 8-Hoskins Sotutu, 7-Blake Gibson, 6-Dalton Papali'i, 5- Josh Goodhue, 4-Patrick Tuipulotu (capt), 3-Sione Mafileo, 2-Kurt Eklund, 1-Karl Tu'inukuafe.

Reserves: 16-James Parsons, 17-Ezekiel Lindenmuth, 18-Ofa Tuungafasi, 19-Tom Robinson, 20-Akira Ioane, 21-Sam Nock, 22-Harry Plummer, 23-Emoni Narawa

 

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