Dai Young makes winning start as Cardiff Blues triumph at Scarlets
Cardiff Blues interim director of rugby Dai Young celebrated his return to the region after a 10-year absence with a 13-10 win over the Scarlets in Llanelli.
The result completed a quickfire double over their host, having beaten them 29-20 at the Cardiff City Stadium only a fortnight ago.
However, Young missed a lot of the action as a serious road traffic accident on the M4 delayed his arrival until midway through the first half.
Matthew Morgan scored the Blues’ try, with Jarrod Evans adding a conversion and two penalties.
Blade Thomson responded with a try for Scarlets, while Leigh Halfpenny kicked a penalty and a conversion.
Scarlets dominated early possession and territory, but a malfunctioning line-out prevented them from capitalising and they were made to pay when the Blues scored the first try after 14 minutes.
The visitors built up a period of pressure but did not appear threatening until a delightful off-load from Evans gave Morgan the chance to race away and score a try on his 100th appearance for the region.
Two minutes later the Blues suffered a blow when their captain, Cory Hill, left the field with a leg injury to be replaced by Rory Thornton.
However, with the Scarlets continually making handling errors and conceding penalties, the visitors were able to overcome the setback of losing Hill by extending their lead through a simple penalty from Evans to give his side a deserved 10-0 interval lead.
A high tackle from Evans on Scarlets centre Johnny Williams gave the home side the chance to dominate the opening period of the second half and they were rewarded when Halfpenny kicked a penalty to put them on the scoreboard.
Scarlets then introduced Ken Owens for his first game since injuring his shoulder at Glasgow back in October, but this was off-set with the loss of powerful number eight Sione Kalamafoni, who was led off in a dazed state after a heavy collision.
The Blues also made substitutions, with long-term absentee Josh Navidi coming on at number eight, while Wales props Rhys Carre and Dillon Lewis also took the field in time to see Evans kick his second penalty.
The home side looked to have scored their first try when a cross-field kick from Dan Jones resulted in replacement Angus O’Brien seizing on the loose ball to touch down, but TMO replays showed that Johnny McNicholl had impeded Morgan.
However, Scarlets persisted with their cross-field kicks and it paid dividends when Thomson latched on to one from Steff Hughes to collect and score.
Halfpenny converted but that was as close as the Scarlets got, with a late yellow card for scrum-half Kieran Hardy not helping their cause.
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments