Blues 32 Chiefs 14

It was the Australians who first suggested the Blues would thrive under Super 14 rugby's new rules, and on the evidence of a comprehensive 32-14 opening round victory over the Chiefs at Eden Park it appears they were right on the money.

It was a masterclass display by the Blues as they ran in four tries to one to run away from their southern neighbours who came to Auckland with plenty of hope, but without the game to land them a third straight victory on the garden of Eden.

It was an expertly paced performance from the Blues who trailed 8-11 at the break, but wore down the Chiefs with a consummate second-half display to leave their rivals for dead over the run home.

With these experimental new laws creating a match of extremely high tempo, movement and opportunity, it was the Blues who settled to the task better, getting their new campaign away to the perfect start and providing just the right note on which to head to Africa on Sunday.

The Blues were brilliantly led by their indefatigable skipper Troy Flavell who put in a huge display despite having his pre-season curtailed by a bothersome foot injury. He was involved all over the park, and at the heart of much of which was positive from his side on the night, chipping in with a crucial try for good measure.

But he was far from a lone ranger for the men in blue. Joe Rokocoko left his horrors of 2007 well behind him with a top-class wing display, Isa Nacewa was his brilliant self in his new position at fullback, Nick Evans' tactical game was the key factor we all believed it to be and up front Jerome Kaino and Nick Williams put in big efforts, as did the home scrum which held the edge throughout.

Halfback Danny Lee got the Blues away to a dream start, scrambling over for a try, and a 5-0 lead, to mark his 50th match in Super rugby. The score came just three minutes or so in when Isa Nacewa served up the line break off a scrum free-kick and from close range Lee did the rest.

But the game rather drifted for most of the rest of the half, with no shortage of action and endeavour as the new laws once again created a free-flowing match with plenty of ball in hand.

However, with skill levels perhaps still not quite caught up with the new style of game, too many pushed passes went to deck for any of the smorgasbord of opportunities to be devoured.

The line breaks came with fairly regular frequency, but either the scrambling defence or the attacking team's poor handling meant the openings tended to come to nought. Chiefs first five Stephen Donald did land two penalties to one from Nick Evans, but as halftime approached a score of 8-6 in the Blues' favour hardly reflected the tempo of the match we were watching.

But the half did finish with a flourish - and one in the Chiefs' favour.

First Evans had split open the Chiefs defence with a withering run from deep, but when that promising break came to nothing, Donald replied with his own break of similar magnitude.

This time the support play was up to the task, with replacement halfback Brendon Leonard (into the fray early after Jamie Nutbrown limped off) on hand to carry it up just short. The inevitable free-kick came (there are plenty of those in this new, open era) and when ball was shifted the Blues defence did well to hold up Sione Lauaki. They had no chance when it was freed and shifted wide to an unmarked Mils Muliaina. Donald couldn't quite land a difficult conversion, but the Chiefs would have been ecstatic to take the 11-8 advantage into the sheds.

The first big moment of the second spell came just over 10 minutes in when a cacophony of action finally ended with Blues skipper Troy Flavell touching loose ball down for a try to put his side back in front.

It was thrilling stuff as, first, Muliaina and Sosene Anesi had put the Chiefs hot on to attack, before a crucial Joe Rokocoko tackle halted the movement.

Not long after Donald appeared to take a wrong option when he cut back inside when he had a full line outside him. That was compounded when he was turned over in the tackle, Rokocko was put away down the left touch and when his inpass was deflected ingoal Flavell was on hand to grab the score, and a 15-11 lead.

Rokockoko's try followed to take the Blues out to 22-14, the home side demonstrating palpably what can be done from solid scrum execution. Benson Stanley's inside ball put the flying wing past Lauaki and over for a key touchdown.

That was pretty much that from the Chiefs. The Evans boot extended the lead by three and Ben Atiga finished the night on the right night for most of the 23,480 who showed up with the bonus point try six minutes from time. Once again it came via a scything rub from Nacewa, who looks every bit the class act at fullback as he does most everywhere else in the backline.

There's a lot to do now for the Chiefs, who struggled to finish their opportunities and last the pace of the match. Muliaina was his classy self at the back, but not many of his team-mates shaded their individual battles with their Blues opposites.

BLUES 32 (Danny Lee, Troy Flavell, Joe Rokocoko, Ben Atiga tries Nick Evans 3 cons 2 pens) bt CHIEFS 14 (Mils Muliaina try Stephen Donald 3 pens) at Eden Park, Auckland. Referee: Lyndon Bray (NZL).