The Blues have dug deep for a 33-28 win over the Hurricanes for their first victory of the season.

The visitors had to defy a late Hoskins Sotutu red card to secure the win, with Mark Tele’a scoring a spectacular try to win the game.

Desperate for victory, the Blues started strong with a penalty try from a dominant scrum, leading to the Hurricanes going down to 13 as a result of early discipline issues.

The Hurricanes got back in the game thanks to the efforts of flyhalf Harry Godfrey.

Godfrey had 23 points for the night, including the Hurricanes' first 19 points of the game.

The flyhalf sliced through the defence for a great solo try to keep the Hurricanes in the game at the break amid the yellow card setbacks.

Kini Naholo nearly gave them the lead to start the second half before referee Angus Gardner denied the try.

He wouldn’t be denied minutes later as the wing dived over, with Godfrey’s conversion giving them the lead.

The flyhalf extended the lead with another penalty before Sotutu charged over the line to spark the Blues.

The Blues’ All Blacks contingency got them back in front when Beauden Barrett linked up with Caleb Clarke, finding Tele’a who scored with nine minutes to go to re-take the lead.

There was one last twist in the game when Sotutu hit Peter Lakai in the head with his shoulder.

The play was upgraded to a red as the Hurricanes pushed for a winner.

However, a late knock-on allowed the Blues to survive, on top of a late penalty following a last minute scrum.

Blues 33 (Tries: Penalty Try, Riccitelli, Suafoa, Sotutu, Tele'a; Cons: Barrett 3) def Hurricanes 29 (Tries: Naholo, Godfrey; Cons: Godfrey 2; Pens: Godfrey 5)

Hurricanes: 15 Kade Banks, 14 Fehi Fineanganofo, 13 Bailyn Sullivan, 12 Peter Umaga-Jensen, 11 Kini Naholo, 10 Harry Godfrey, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Peter Lakai, 7 DuPlessis Kirifi (co-captain), 6 Brad Shields (co-captain), 5 Isaia Walker-Leawere, 4 Caleb Delany, 3 Pasilio Tosi, 2 Raymond Tuputupu, 1 Xavier Numia.
Replacements: 16 Jacob Devery, 17 Pouri Rakete-Stones, 18 Tevita Mafileo, 19 Hugo Plummer, 20 Brayden Iose, 21 Ereatara Enari, 22 Riley Hohepa, 23 Ngatungane Punivai.

Blues: 15 Beauden Barrett, 14 Mark Tele’a, 13 Rieko Ioane, 12 AJ Lam, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Harry Plummer, 9 Finlay Christie, 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 7 Dalton Papali’i, 6 Cameron Suafoa, 5 Josh Beehre, 4 Patrick Tuipulotu (captain), 3 Marcel Renata, 2 Ricky Riccitelli, 1 Ofa Tu’ungafasi.
Replacements: 16 James Mullan, 17 Joshua Fusitu’a, 18 Angus Ta’avao, 19 Cam Christie, 20 Anton Segner, 21 Sam Nock, 22 Corey Evans, 23 Cole Forbes.

Referee: Angus Gardner
Assistant Referees: Matt Kellahan, Jeremy Markey
TMO: Brett Cronan