How good could the Cardiff Blues be next season ?

Well the question is in the title really. how good could they be next season ? This season has been a serious disappointment and I think that the Blues have been seriously let down by their coaching dept. With players like Craig Mitchell signing next season, the Blues will have a front row of Gethin Jenkins, Matthew Reese, and Craig Mitchell, and in the backs they will have Lloyd Williams or Tavis Knoyle with Patchell, Owain Williams and Cory Allen, Dan Fish, Cuthbert, add Warburton and Navidi to that list and that is a core of very good WQ players that they will have at their disposal, all they need now is a decent head coach, could Dale Macintosh be the answer ? For me no. He could be a very good deputy, a right hand man to keep the players in line, but I think the Blues are just a decent head coach away from being a top European side, I wonder if the WRU would let the Blues give somebody like Howley or even Shaun Edwards a shot at it, but I can only wonder how far they could go with a decent coaching set-up.

Saw them only a few games this season (twice against Munster). In the first game I have to say I was shocked at the Cardiff team in terms of how bad they were..couldnt believe it from a Cardiff side.

They have shown some glimpses of what they are capable of in the HC...

Having a new coach is a start....any new players?

ME-109 wrote:Saw them only a few games this season (twice against Munster). In the first game I have to say I was shocked at the Cardiff team in terms of how bad they were..couldnt believe it from a Cardiff side.

They have shown some glimpses of what they are capable of in the HC...

Having a new coach is a start....any new players?

They are signing the following players.

Craig Mitchell
Isaia Tuifua
Ieuan Jones
George Watkins
Simon Humberstone
Josh Turnball
Owen Jenkins
Tavis Knoyle

Plus they will have Rhys Patchell and Owain Williams back from injury, they are two seriously good youngsters, all they need now is a decent coach.

They could be good, I'm not convinced that our pack will be that competitive for a while, lacking some depth at 10 and 15 definately, Anscombe would be really handy...

They need to play their most promising midfield of Patchell/Allen/Williams

IronMike wrote:They could be good, I'm not convinced that our pack will be that competitive for a while, lacking some depth at 10 and 15 definately, Anscombe would be really handy...

They need to play their most promising midfield of Patchell/Allen/Williams

That is a very good young WQ midfield. Now all they need is Lloyd Williams/Tavis Knoyle to get the best out of them.

Copeland will undoubtedly be a big loss but if Vosawai can stay fit and catch the ball properly he can be a decent replacement.
Not sure about Craig Mitchell, last time i saw him he wasn't quite dominant at scrum time... Don't know how old is Filise but he is still pretty damn good.
Tuifua impressed me a lot when i watched him a couple of times, cracking player.

Their aim should be to finish top Welsh regions.

Cant see Ll Williams or Knoyle being their answer at No 9 and Patchell has still yet to convince me, not a Hook fan but think they should have tried for him.

Ieuan Jones going there will cover the Copeland loss and its a good move for him as he was always going to be 2nd choice behind Faletau at the Dragons.

Damn, Hamilton is leaving this season, he looked promising at number 8.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/27186154

IronMike wrote:Damn, Hamilton is leaving this season, he looked promising at number 8.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/27186154

Hasn't Ellis Jenkings signed a new contract, I think he will be the future no. 8 fir the Blues.

I thought Jenkins was more of a 7? We've signed Ieuan Jones from the Dragons but looks like we're lacking a bit of experience at 8, unless Turnbull will play there.

IronMike wrote:I thought Jenkins was more of a 7? We've signed Ieuan Jones from the Dragons but looks like we're lacking a bit of experience at 8, unless Turnbull will play there.

There is a roumor going around that the Blues are trying to sighn Manoa Vosawai from Treviso, perhaps they have him lined up.

Manoa vosawai has already signed I've heard and he follows the blues on twitter, just awaiting wru approval before announcing apparently

Westisbest2 wrote:Manoa vosawai has already signed I've heard and he follows the blues on twitter, just awaiting wru approval before announcing apparently

Why do they need WRU approval, is because of the NWQ limits ?

If Ieuan Jones can get a run of games you won't miss Copeland.

They do it on all nwq and time serving players, even if there nowhere near there nwq limit. A couple of the regions have already come out and said that the wru are to stringent when allowing regions to sign nwq players. Dragons agreed a deal with fekiota last season and the wru rejected it and now he's a future all black

Westisbest2 wrote:They do it on all nwq and time serving players, even if there nowhere near there nwq limit. A couple of the regions have already come out and said that the wru are to stringent when allowing regions to sign nwq players. Dragons agreed a deal with fekiota last season and the wru rejected it and now he's a future all black

I am glad they are taking this stance to be honest, he could be the next Dan Carter for all I care, I would rather see young local tallent being given the opportunity to play than poaching players from other countries.

I heard a rumour from a work colleagues husband who talked to a former Blues player, that Howley will be the next head coach, not the rumoured kiwis being lined up.

And don't forget All Black Jared Hotea from the Highlanders has signed. So 1st team might look like this :
1 Gethin Jenkins
2 Matthew rees
3 Craig Mitchell
4 Filo Paulo
5 jared Hotea
6 Josh Turnbull
7 Sam warburton
8 I Jones or M Vosawai

9 tavis tacklebag Knoyle
10 Rhys Patchell
12 Cory Allan
13 Owen Williams
14 Alex Cuthbert
11 george Watkins
15 dan fish ( Gareth Anscombe ? )

Thats big mean pack and some powerful runners in the backs, squad needs more back 3 players and a cover goal kicker. But 5 NWQ already in squad