• By Henry Lee, reporting from Eden Park, Auckland

Super Rugby Pacific round 12 got under way at Eden Park on Friday evening where the Blues were seeking an important victory in the context of their season, against a tough Western Force side.

The Blues managed to score a flurry of tries in the second half to overcome the tough challenge by the Force, taking the Auckland based side up to sixth place on the standings.

It was the home side’s 13th straight game unbeaten against the Western Force, with the travelling side only beating the Blues once in their history, in 2008 at North Harbour Stadium.

The game’s opening 10 minutes was played through the middle of the field, as no line break from either team eventuated to anything.

It was Wallabies hopeful Carlo Tizzano who was the first player to threaten the Blues defence, breaking through down the left-hand touchline.

The Force eventually knocked the ball on, handing the ball back to the home side in their 22.

A brilliant ruck turnover from Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu minutes later helped the Blues downfield, before quick thinking from tighthead prop Marcel Renata gave the home side a 5-0 lead.

The Western Force proved to be their own worst nightmare, as mistakes shortly after the first try allowed the Blues to score their second try of the match.

The second try was on the back of a slick move from Beauden Barrett, as he put winger Cole Forbes through under the posts.

Barrett added the extras in front, giving the Blues a 12-0 lead after 20 minutes.

The Force thought they scored through Carlo Tizzano, but the TMO found a knock-on in the ruck before the try.

Ten minutes later Tizzano was in the thick of the action again, this time legally finding his way over the line.

Force first five Ben Donaldson successfully converted the try, taking the scores to 12-5 at halftime.

It didn’t take long in the second half for the Blues to look dangerous with ball in hand, as a beautiful long cut-out pass from Barrett put replacement winger AJ Lam over in the corner.

Multiple lineout infringements from the Blues led to the next Force try when Force first-five Donaldson’s pinpoint kick out towards winger Max Grealy, who smartly fired an offload to veteran Wallabies outside back Kurtley Beale, who strolled in to score in the corner.

The Blues then started to ramp up the pressure, as Blues lock Laghlan McWhannell came charging at the Force line off a short Taufa Funaki pass.

McWhannell was too big too strong, scoring close to the posts to give the Blues a 26-14 lead 51 minutes into the match.

It was then Blues star playmaker Beauden Barrett who started to run the show for the home side, using a low cross kick to Forbes out on the right wing, who used nice footwork to go over for his second try of the evening.

Barrett successfully converted the try from out wide, taking the Blues lead to 19.

After a long TMO review, the Force were able to score another try of their impressive lineout maul.

This time, it was Force hooker Nic Dolly who had the ball at the back of the maul, to score his first try of the night.

The Perth-based team’s unconverted try brought the scores to 33-19.

The Blues managed to score once more, this time off the back of a dominant scrum.

Replacement lock Josh Beehre was the one with the ball at the end over the line, topping off a solid 40-19 win over the Force at Eden Park in Auckland.

The Blues travel to Suva in Fiji next week to take on the Fijian Drua on Friday night.

Meanwhile, the Force will be back at home in Perth, taking on the Brumbies on Saturday.