Welcome to Cardiff for the first match of the season agains Clemont. Cardif have had some good preparation up until this game with a close game against the formidable Canterbury Crusaders. Cardif, even though they are in the third division showed that they will be a force in this division, even though they are expected not to get anywhere in this competition. There is word from the franchise owners that they just want them to finish in the top half of the competition, but their coach has put some hard words on the team telling them that he expects them to get promoted to division two in his first year as coach. Time will tell to see who has the more realistic views by the end of the season.
The two line ups for the team show that neither team has any star players (woosaah only star by name, not by reputation), but both teams have some decent pace out wide. Lomu, Edmonds and the versitle Dean Sherr are all capable of breaking the line and even big prop Tobie Chapman (spelt it right for you) has shown some pace in the last game. Clermont have Paulse on the left wing and a solid fullback of Damnelli while the scrum half of Mini is very quick and nimble and Cardiff will have to watch his quick runs from the back of rucks.
03:04 - TRY! Lomu - From the kickoff Clermont were put straight under pressure and the centre Canale was forced to kick from inside his won 22 only to go straight to Edmonds instead of finding the much needed touch. Edmonds tries to put up a huge bomb but only finds that it gets charged down. Rocky dived on the ball to set up a ruck 45m from the Clermont line. Then some quick deft passes by the Cardiff Blues team as well as some very good ball handling they moved up to the 22. Then Rocky choses to use the blind side, uses the flanker Biswas who offloads to an unmarked Lomu. Lomu easily passes Clermont halfback Mini and bulldozes over the fullback Damnelli. Then 5m out from the try line, Lock Privo dives for Lomu to trip him up but he rolls over the line to score the first try. Heffler was unable to convert the easy conversion. 5-0
20:00 - DROP GOAL! Jones - After a decent leadup from Clermont but little headway the fly half Jones decides to get some points on the board and slots a 30m drop goal, making it look easier that it should have been. 5-3
26:16 - TRY! Hefler - After some good teamwork and some hard rucking. The forwards working hard with picks and goes and short passes. Rocky set it up with a pick and go and an offload to Hefler who ended up just falling over in the tackle of Barrio. Just good team work and forward momentum set up this try. Hefler kicked the conversion for his own try. 12-3
30:23 - DROP GOAL! Jones - After Sidoli foolishly knocks on just out of the 22 Clermont number 10 Jones slots another drop goal. 12-6
39:04 - TRY! Mini - An intercept by Canale halfback Mini picks up the ball from 33m out from the Blues goal line. With no support around Mini changes the angle on Dean Sherr and ends up running around him and beating him to the line. Jones converts the try. 13-12
- HALFTIME -
SO a good close first half to both teams and the two drop goals by Jones kept them close. The try to Lomu was very opourtunistic but Hefflers was the result of some good forward play. Minis try was just a bit of luck and some slack defense by the Blues. The second half of this game is going to be a cracker.