Cardiff Blues Season Thread (Toulon fall in Cardiff)

[wales606]

First topic message reminder :

Keeping organised the ins and outs at the Blues leading into next season.

New Signing
Paetru Tamba (during the season)
Filo Paulo - North Harbour (confirmed)
Matthew Rees (confirmed)
Liam Davies (confirmed - until end of season)
Gethin Jenkins (confirmed)
Miles Normandale (confirmed)
Rhys Gill - Saracens (rumoured) Unlikely
Craig Mitchell - Exeter (rumoured) Unlikely
Adam Warren - Scarlets (rumoured)
Dan Lydiate - Dragons (mentioned) (rumoured)
Scott Williams - Scarlets (rumoured)
James Hook (rumoured - again)
Rodney So’oialo - Honda Heat (rumoured)
Aled Summerhill - Blues Academy
Ben Roach - Blues Academy
Ellis Jenkins - Blues Academy
Tom Pascoe - Blues Academy
Will Thomas - Blues Academy

Departures (all confirmed)
Jamie Roberts - Racing Metro
Ceri Sweeney - Exeter Chiefs
Tom James - Exeter Chiefs
Michael Paterson - Sale Sharks
Jason Tovey - Newport Gwent Dragons
Campese Ma'afu - Nottingham
Ryan Harford - Cardiff RFC
Nathan Trevett - London Welsh
Matthew Screech - Newport Gwent Dragons
Darren Harries - Scarlets
Jake Cooper Wooley - London Wasps
Cory Hill - Cornish Pirates
Petru Tamba - Unattached
Andi Kyriacou - Retired
Xavier Rush


Re-Signings
Alex Cuthbert (3 years)
Scott Andrews (2 years)
Josh Navidi (3 year)
James Down (unknown)
Andreus Pretorious (can't find the article...)
Marc Breeze (unknown)
Lewis Jones (unknown)
Lloyd Williams (3 years)
Tom Williams (3 years)
Rhys Patchell (3 years)
Sam Hobbs (?3 years?)
Rhys Williams (?3 years?)
Tom Davies (?3 years?)
Richard Smith (2 years)

[Coleman]

No Dan Lydiate either. Ohhh well, more game time for Josh!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/22086537

[ScarletSpiderman]

Adam Warren can come off the rumoured list too, he has renewed his contract at PYS.

[wales606]

Sounds like Paterson is off the Sale

[mikey_philVIII]

We can't even stop our players from going to basement teams.

[wales606]

Look like Paterson will be heading to Sale

Talk of Chris Czekaj going with him

[wales606]

Paterson departure confirmed by the Blues, gutted.

[doctornickolas]

The Blues need to find a decent ball carrying number 8 from somewhere. They have Copeland who has done well there and then there is Captain Not so Fantastic Pretorius and Luke Hamilton. These are all really 6's who have been filling in at 8. They need someoen who can carry the ball time after time an dgive the pack some go forward.

[XR]

Ah well, just gives our younger players more of a crack of the whip. He'll be missed but it frees up some wages but also allows us to continue the Warb/Navidi combo if we want. We desperately need to sign another player of the rushy calibre - a leader, ball carrier and a hard bar steward

If czekaj goes, then that's no real hit to us. I'd rather give a call up to a couple of guys from ponty/rags than him, has the size and pace...just no balls to take on his man or go round him, backs out of it.

[XR]

On reflection, these would be my starting 15's.

First Choice

1. Gethin Jenkins
2. Matthew Rees
3. Scott Andrews
4. Bradley Davies
5. Filo Paulo
6. Josh Navidi
7. Sam Warburton
8. Robin Copeland

9. Lloyd Williams
10. Rhys Patchell
11. Harry Robinson
12. Gavin Evans
13. Cory Allen
14. Alex Cuthbert
15. Leigh Halfpenny


Without internationals

1. Tom Davies
2. Matthew Rees
3.
4.
5. Lou Reed
6. Filo Paulo
7. Josh Navidi
8. Robin Copeland

9.
10. Rhys Patchell
11. Harry Robinson
12. Gavin Evans
13. Cory Allen
14.
15. Jason Tovey


Guess it highlights where we need to sign players more than anything: THP, Second Row, Scrum Half & Wing. I think Scrum Half and Wing can be solved through the academy products but maybe THP and second row we'll need to 'out-source'

[wales606]

Copeland is doing well at no8. It is 9,12 and prop where we need more depth.

Starting 23

1. Gethin Jenkins
2. Matthew Rees
3. Scott Andrews
4. Bradley Davies
5. Filo Paulo
6. Josh Navidi
7. Sam Warburton
8. Robin Copeland
9. Lloyd Williams
10. Rhys Patchell
11. Harry Robinson (:/)
12. Cory Allen
13. Owen Williams
14. Alex Cuthbert
15. Leigh Halfpenny

16. Mark Breeze
17. Sam Hobbs
18. Benoit Bourrust
19. Lou Reed
20. Andreus Pretorious
21. Lewis Jones
22. Jason Tovey (:0)
23. Gavin Evans


Without internationals

1. Sam Hobbs
2. Marc Breeze
3. Benoit Bourrust
4. Lou Reed
5. Filo Paulo
6. Josh Navidi
7. Lewis Young
8. Robin Copeland
9. Lewis Jones
10. Rhys Patchell (if he gets called up, we are screwed)
11. Harry Robinson
12. Cory Allen
13. Gavin Evans
14. Owen Williams
15. Dan Fish

16. Tom Davies
17. Rhys Williams/Kristian Dacey
18. Fau Filise (???)
19. James Down
20. Andreus Pretorious
21. ???
22. Jason Tovey
23. Tom Williams

[ScarletSpiderman]

Seeing as your a bit light at scrum half would it be worth keeping hold of Liam Davies, or has he already managed to get himself into poop down there?

[XR]

Don't think he's even played tbh

[wales606]

Think he has come of the bench once?

Lewis Jones seems to have improved a fair amount this season, but we could still use R.Rees back.

[wales606]

Seems like there could be a few more signings to come after the French teams announce on Thursday

Also Xavier Rush is rumoured to be leaving the backroom staff

[Cardiff Dave]

Seems like there could be a few more signings to come after the French teams announce on Thursday

Also Xavier Rush is rumoured to be leaving the backroom staff

All the French rumoured/confirmed comings and goings here;
http://www.rugby-transferts.com/top-14/tableau-transferts-rugby-top-14.html

I see Halfpenny is mentioned on the Clermont rumoured bit.

[mikey_philVIII]

Ooo eck hope not.

[Kingshu]

Does Copeland play 6 as well as 8? I think Ulster would be intrested in him next summer, when his contract expires.

[wales606]

Does Copeland play 6 as well as 8? I think Ulster would be intrested in him next summer, when his contract expires.

4,5,6 and 8

[Kingshu]

Just the player we would need, Henderson plays 4,5,6 for us and having someone else in, esp with Ferris leaving, will be important. he's a good player and importantly Irish qualified. I do believe that Ulster will be in for him next summer, and Cardiff Blues will have a problem to keep him from going to one of the provinces. Will keep a special eye out for him this year.

[wales606]

Just the player we would need, Henderson plays 4,5,6 for us and having someone else in, esp with Ferris leaving, will be important. he's a good player and importantly Irish qualified. I do believe that Ulster will be in for him next summer, and Cardiff Blues will have a problem to keep him from going to one of the provinces. Will keep a special eye out for him this year.

HANDS OFF!

After all, we gave you Rush...

[Kingshu]

We gave you Kyriacou, sounds a fair deal to me,

Just on a side note I notice both Scarlets and Blues have no NWQ players from Half back to full back in thier squads.

This has to be commended as their seams to be an abundance of Welsh backs, Ospreys only have 2 NWQ in the back line.

However is does mean that nearly all the NWQ in the regions H-cup teams are concentrated in the forwards (all bar two), do you see this as causing a possible problem in the future?

[ScarletSpiderman]

Nwqs in the pack tend to be project players or there whilst kids are physically maturing.

[Kingshu]

I make it 19 players (could be wrong, as some may be Welsh qualified) 17 of which are all in the forwards.

To me it seams a very high number of NWQ's between 3 teams to have in the same positions, however looking into it not all (or many) of the NWQ are starters and are in as squad cover, and this then brings up the old, is it not better to have WQ players as squad cover?

Just thought it was intresting how well the regions are producing backs, but needing NWQ for cover in the forwards.

My hypothesis for this is that the Acamadies have only truely properaly been running for about 5 years, and backs will come through first. Forwards take longer to come though, therefore in the next year or two I expect that the Welsh forwards will start coming through with the new backs.

Any truth in that?

[ScarletSpiderman]

Kingshu, I think most nwqs are in the front row, then there are a few locks and the odd backrower. So it seems that the most physically demanding positions for development are the ones the most nwqs are in. In the next two or three seasons imo there will be less nwqs in the pack.

[Coleman]

Looks like we'll be having a rubber pitch for next season!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/22500371

[thebluesmancometh]

Interesting...

[ScarletSpiderman]

Looks like we'll be having a rubber pitch for next season!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/22500371

Didn't the Blues say all of that a month or so back? Hope the WRU accepted it with all the issues going on with them right now. It woukd be a good trial before the WRU decide to go for it at the MS too.

[wales606]

Looks like we'll be having a rubber pitch for next season!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/22500371

Didn't the Blues say all of that a month or so back? Hope the WRU accepted it with all the issues going on with them right now. It woukd be a good trial before the WRU decide to go for it at the MS too.

They said they were looking into it, it has now been confirmed that they are going to get one and in time for next season (I can't see any problems getting approval)

[thebluesmancometh]

Looks like we'll be having a rubber pitch for next season!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/22500371

Didn't the Blues say all of that a month or so back? Hope the WRU accepted it with all the issues going on with them right now. It woukd be a good trial before the WRU decide to go for it at the MS too.

They said they were looking into it, it has now been confirmed that they are going to get one and in time for next season (I can't see any problems getting approval)

Ye I wouldve thought the WRU would be happy to appease the Blues in just about anything they wanted right now, get them on side! I wouldve thought the new pitch would be worthe a few thousand extra tickets sales from nosey welsh parkers alone too

[Cardiff Dave]

Flaming Nora, a new pitch at CAP!
What a difference a year makes.

[Coleman]

I hope we don't have silly colours around the edge of it. I don't like the blue around the Sarries pitch, maybe i'm just being picky though.

[ScarletSpiderman]

I hope we don't have silly colours around the edge of it. I don't like the blue around the Sarries pitch, maybe i'm just being picky though.

To be honest I thought that was one of the secondary advantages of the artifical stuff, as it makes it easier to see if a bootlace is in touch or not when it goest to tmo.

[Coleman]

I never thought of it like that, still think its ugly though.

[wales606]

I hope we don't have silly colours around the edge of it. I don't like the blue around the Sarries pitch, maybe i'm just being picky though.

Blue and Black....

[Cardiff Dave]

I hope we don't have silly colours around the edge of it. I don't like the blue around the Sarries pitch, maybe i'm just being picky though.

Me too. Hope the whole thing is a muddy brown colour to make it appear proper authentic.

[wales606]

Jamie Robinson has retired from playing due to injury while in France

He was awesome at the Blues, him and Shanklin provided some of the best attacking plays I have ever seen - he was also the Blues top try scorer for a long time until Tom James overtook him last season.

[Cardiff Dave]

http://www.nottinghamrugby.co.uk/news-events/campese-signs-for-nottingham.aspx

[pioden gorllewin]

Just noticed it - probably his level.

[wales606]

Welcome relief on wages

[Cardiff Dave]

Jamie Robinson has retired from playing due to injury while in France

He was awesome at the Blues, him and Shanklin provided some of the best attacking plays I have ever seen - he was also the Blues top try scorer for a long time until Tom James overtook him last season.

During the 2003/2004 season I believe.
http://origin.rabodirectpro12.com/teams/blues/position.php?includeref=2292&season=2003-2004

[wales606]

Jamie Robinson has retired from playing due to injury while in France

He was awesome at the Blues, him and Shanklin provided some of the best attacking plays I have ever seen - he was also the Blues top try scorer for a long time until Tom James overtook him last season.

During the 2003/2004 season I believe.
http://origin.rabodirectpro12.com/teams/blues/position.php?includeref=2292&season=2003-2004

He was top try scorer in the Blues history until James took it, he is still second

[wales606]

Tom James has extended his lead by a lot over the last 2 seasons

Cuthbert is 5th despite only being there 2 seasons! (tied with Rushy)

http://www.cardiffblues.com/rugby/tries.php

[XR]

Rushy

[Cardiff Dave]

Arms Park posts have been released;

https://twitter.com/cardiff_blues/status/335073106005737473/photo/1

[wales606]

Arms Park posts have been released;

https://twitter.com/cardiff_blues/status/335073106005737473/photo/1

Lloyd Williams posted a picture of him nicking a but of the try line turf

[Cardiff Dave]

Arms Park posts have been released;

https://twitter.com/cardiff_blues/status/335073106005737473/photo/1

Lloyd Williams posted a picture of him nicking a but of the try line turf

It's really happening then by the sound of it!
We should try and sell the grassy bits.
Could make a few quid.

[wales606]

Lions Captain - Sam Warburton
Wales Captain - Bradley Davies
Wales U20's Captain - Ellis Jenkins

WHY HAVEN'T WE WON A HEINEKEN CUP ALREADY

[The Saint]

You were close for two seasons, but just unlucky. Unfortunately there was not much planning for the future done which has you at where you are now. I'm certain Blues will vastly improve next season. They should finally have a front 5 to compete with the big French teams.
You also seem to have a few fetcher 7's.

[wales606]

They should finally have a front 5 to compete with the big French teams.

Do you know something I dont

[The Saint]

Jenkins, Rees, Andrews,
Davies, Paulo.
You don't think that is any good?

[Sponsored content]