Super Rugby Pacific: Blues back calls for annual Anzac Day clash with Reds after heart-stopper in Brisbane

Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu a pretty frank assessment when asked how his team found the resolve to battle from behind late to steal victory against the Reds at the final whistle on Saturday.

"I think we've just got some f**king good players," said Tuipulotu after the Blues' last-gasp 41-34 win in Brisbane. "Excuse the language."

Faced with an 11-point deficit with under 15 minutes remaining, the Blues refused to roll over -  running in three straight tries, capped by substitute's Sam Nock's effort off the back of Caleb Clarke's surge in the 82nd minute to break the deadlock and secure a sixth straight victory in one of the most exhilarating games to date this Super Rugby Pacific season.

Tuipulotu was impressed with the way his team kept their composure in the face of the Reds' run, when debutant wing Tim Ryan's hat-trick of tries in a 14-minute blitz swung the momentum massively in the hosts' favour.

"We were down under our posts quite a bit there but the message was quite simple -just trying to focus on the next job and get our defence tight," he noted.  

"To get through that last 10 [minutes] and not really stop playing, we kept the pressure on. Even though we were making mistakes, we were able to bounce back.

"Just some good work all around to finish that game off."

Their third consecutive win over an Australian side, the result puts the Blues just a solitary point behind the Hurricanes atop the competition standings.

Coach Vern Cotter applauded his players for their ability to regroup after a challenging start, insisting his side will be much better for the experience - proving to themselves they're capable of swimming their way of out of deep waters.

"We kept believing," said Cotter.  

"I think that's a big hats off to the boys and around the leadership group as well, to keep the group composed and find a way.  

"I thought we shifted the way we played towards the end. I thought our bench was good coming on and added an impact... everybody contributed.

"It's one of those ones that you sort of breathe a sigh of relief because you got away with it.

"But you need games like that. You need to test yourselves. And that was a great test. It was a great game."

The highly entertaining nature of Saturday's match has added a huge amount of weight to calls from across the Tasman earlier in the week to cement the Blues and Reds game as an annual Anzac Day tradition.

"I think there's a bit of history between the two clubs and if today's game is any form of example of what kind of quality game of rugby can be produced on that day - why not?" asked Cotter.  

"I think it ties the history of the two clubs together, through people that have been involved in those difficult times in the first and second World Wars.  

"I think it's a something that needs to be recognised, and if it's recognised with a game of footy every year - why not?"

The Blues now travel to Melbourne to face the struggling Rebels on Friday, where they'll have a chance to complete a clean sweep of the Aussie sides.

Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu a pretty frank assessment when asked how his team found the resolve to battle from behind late to steal victory against the Reds at the final whistle on Saturday.

"I think we've just got some f**king good players," said Tuipulotu after the Blues' last-gasp 41-34 win in Brisbane. "Excuse the language."

Faced with an 11-point deficit with under 15 minutes remaining, the Blues refused to roll over -  running in three straight tries, capped by substitute's Sam Nock's effort off the back of Caleb Clarke's surge in the 82nd minute to break the deadlock and secure a sixth straight victory in one of the most exhilarating games to date this Super Rugby Pacific season.

Tuipulotu was impressed with the way his team kept their composure in the face of the Reds' run, when debutant wing Tim Ryan's hat-trick of tries in a 14-minute blitz swung the momentum massively in the hosts' favour.

"We were down under our posts quite a bit there but the message was quite simple -just trying to focus on the next job and get our defence tight," he noted.  

"To get through that last 10 [minutes] and not really stop playing, we kept the pressure on. Even though we were making mistakes, we were able to bounce back.

"Just some good work all around to finish that game off."

Their third consecutive win over an Australian side, the result puts the Blues just a solitary point behind the Hurricanes atop the competition standings.

Coach Vern Cotter applauded his players for their ability to regroup after a challenging start, insisting his side will be much better for the experience - proving to themselves they're capable of swimming their way of out of deep waters.

"We kept believing," said Cotter.  

"I think that's a big hats off to the boys and around the leadership group as well, to keep the group composed and find a way.  

"I thought we shifted the way we played towards the end. I thought our bench was good coming on and added an impact... everybody contributed.

"It's one of those ones that you sort of breathe a sigh of relief because you got away with it.

"But you need games like that. You need to test yourselves. And that was a great test. It was a great game."

The highly entertaining nature of Saturday's match has added a huge amount of weight to calls from across the Tasman earlier in the week to cement the Blues and Reds game as an annual Anzac Day tradition.

"I think there's a bit of history between the two clubs and if today's game is any form of example of what kind of quality game of rugby can be produced on that day - why not?" asked Cotter.  

"I think it ties the history of the two clubs together, through people that have been involved in those difficult times in the first and second World Wars.  

"I think it's a something that needs to be recognised, and if it's recognised with a game of footy every year - why not?"

The Blues now travel to Melbourne to face the struggling Rebels on Friday, where they'll have a chance to complete a clean sweep of the Aussie sides.

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