They think it’s all over for Blues

Mar 22 2008 South Wales Echo

Scarlets 35-17 Blues

IT was always an uphill task, but Cardiff Blues’ challenge for the Magners League title all but ended with a disappointing defeat at Stradey Park last night.

The proximity of the match to the Six Nations Championship meant Dai Young’s side travelled west with a severely weakened outfit, whereas Phil Davies opted to pitch in the bulk of his Welsh international contingent – and the final outcome told the tale.

It was a game heavily influenced by a strong wind that blew directly down the field, but the one aspect that will have frustrated Young more than any other was the poor quality of his team’s defending.

The two tries they allowed Llanelli Scarlets to harvest in the first half were both down to a porous rearguard, with several players in Blues shirts guilty of an “after you” approach to tackling.

Such flimsiness could not have been in starker contrast to the bloody-minded defensive approach that underpinned the Welsh Grand Slam.

So much for the last couple of glorious months rubbing off at regional level.

The Blues’ entire focus will now be on their Heineken Cup quarter-final at Toulouse in three weeks time, when they will have their cavalry of Martyn Williams, Gethin Jenkins and Tom Shanklin back in harness.

But it will still take a brave man to back them in the south of France, so the smart money will be on another trophy-less season at the Arms Park.

That’s a pity, because it does scant justice to the progress Young has triggered at the capital city region in recent seasons.

Victories such as the ones achieved at Bath and Bristol and at home to Stade Francais earlier in the campaign suggested so much more might be on the horizon.

Then again, the Blues definitely have a puncher’s chance against Toulouse, so may be we shouldn’t rule them out of the silverware stakes too readily.

As for the Scarlets, they will feel that they are right back in the hunt for the Magners crown after this.

But they are still extremely unlikely to be able to chase down runaway leaders Leinster.

The Scarlets deserved this one though, of that there is no doubt.

They made the most of the gifts on offer to them from the Blues to get themselves within just two points at half-time. And then with the game up for grabs in the second period it was Davies’ side who showed the greater application and desire.

The Blues, with the stiff wind at their backs, drew first blood in hugely impressive style when Welsh international wing Jamie Roberts went over in the corner after just five minutes.

The score was fashioned after a raking Ben Blair punt gave the visitors good field position and Gareth Thomas showed delightfully quick hands to provide Roberts with the scoring pass. But the Scarlets struck back almost immediately.

Regan King found space down the right wing for prop Iestyn Thomas to touch down in the follow-up move after scrum-half Richie Rees hauled the Kiwi down just short.

The home side came more into it, but the Blues enjoyed a clinical opening quarter in attack and made their next attack count.

From another deep touch-finder, this time by fly-half Nick Macleod, they rolled a maul to within inches of the line and second-row Scott Morgan pounced for Blair to land a second glorious conversion from wide out.

The match was threatening to become a points riot when Scarlets centre Gavin Evans raced clear through some shocking Blues defence to claim his side’s second, converted by Stephen Jones, in the 23rd minute.

Things quietened down up to half-time, with Blair and Jones swapping penalties for a 17-15 Blues interval lead.

But the suspicion was always that it might be too slender an advantage given the elements.

And so it proved.

It was far more attritional after the break, but when Jones nudged the hosts ahead with a penalty just before the hour mark the omens were clear.

His half-back partner Dwayne Peel made the most of a Blair spill in the 61st minute to claim the deadlock-breaking try and when Jones’ boot extended the lead to 28-17 it was all over.

Dafydd James raced clear for the bonus point clinching try two minutes from time.

delme.parfitt@mediawales.co.uk