The Blues loss to the Stormers this morning will probably hurt more than any other in Tana Umaga's two‑year tenure at the Blues.
It sure was a brutal way to cripple their playoff hopes.
The Blues were genuinely gallant, doing everything they could to overcome the Stormers in Cape Town.
They scrambled and defended with heart and hunger but, in the end, succumbed to relentless second half pressure to fall 30‑22 after wing Matt Duffie conceded two yellow cards ‑ one in each half ‑ to be sent from the field with 14 minutes remaining.
Duffie's first yellow came for repeated team infringing ‑ four successive penalties early in the match.
His second for diving on a player on the ground.
The defeat is their sixth of the season but first to an overseas team, in all likelihood draws a definitive line through the Blues' finals hopes, leaving them five points behind the Highlanders, who are fourth in the New Zealand conference but play the Force in Perth next Saturday night.
Meanwhile in other results, the Crusaders defeated the Chiefs 31-24 in a brutal clash at the ANZ Stadium last night.
Tonight, the Hurricanes will take on the Cheetahs at 7.35pm, the Force will face the Highlanders at 9.45pm while the Sunwolves will host the Sharks at 11.55pm.
Source: Stuff.co
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