Auckland give Highlanders the blues, Fijian Drua claim dramatic win in Super Rugby openers
The Blues, beaten finalists last year, boasted 13 All Blacks in their starting XV as they ran in eight tries to two, their 60 points a team record against the outgunned Highlanders.
Flyhalf Beauden Barrett, wing Caleb Clarke, prop Marcel Renata and flanker Dalton Papalli'I also ran in scores in the comprehensive win, achieved despite two first-half yellow cards for the visitors as they led by 31-20 at the break.
Their poor discipline, especially at the breakdown, will be the one area of concern for coach Leon MacDonald, but he can have few qualms about his team's attacking play.
"I don't want to bring up last year (the final defeat to Canterbury Crusaders), but we're probably playing with a bit of fire in the belly from that disappointment," Blues captain Papali'i said.
Debutant wing Taniela Rakuro scored a try in the final three minutes as Fijian Drua grabbed a late 36-34 victory over Moana Pasifika in Auckland.
A brace of scores from prop Abraham Pole to go with tries via front row Chris Apoua, flanker Mike Curry and centre Danny Toala had Moana in the lead by three as the clock ran down.
But a break on the right from the visitors put Rakuro into space and despite a slip just before the line, he was able to dive over.
Australia coach Eddie Jones watched the Wellington Hurricanes score five second-half tries to thump the Queensland Reds 47-13 in Townsville.
The teams managed a try each in the first half as the visitors led 16-13 at the break but ran away with the game in the second period thanks to a penalty try and scores from scrumhalf Cam Roigard, wings Jamie Booth and Julian Savea, and prop Tyrel Lomax.
The Reds handed a debut to 19-year-old flyhalf Tom Lynagh, son of former Wallaby great Michael.
Jeremy Thrush retired at the Western Force at the end of last season to take up a coaching role, but made a surprise appearance on the bench against Melbourne Rebels and came on to bag the winning try.
With scores level, lock Thrush crossed the tryline to give his side a 34-27 victory after Force had trailed 13-24 at halftime.
On Friday, the Waikato Chiefs shocked champions Canterbury Crusaders with a 31-10 victory in Christchurch, and the ACT Brumbies edged New South Wales Waratahs 31-25.