Cardiff Blues V Ulster

Tonight Cardiff Blues take on Ulster at the Arms Park in Cardiff with the home team having beaten Zebre but then lost to Glasgow in their opening 2 games. Ulster arrive with 8 points after a bonus point Draw with Scarlets in the first week and then beating Zebre with the bonus last week.
Ulster have looked like they are creating lots in attack but mistakes and poor defending so far has cost them.
The match is live on BBC 2 NI and Wales and kicks off at 19:35

Cardiff Blues: Rhys Patchell; Alex Cuthbert, Adam Thomas, Gavin Evans, Richard Smith; Gareth Davies, Lewis Jones; Sam Hobbs, Matthew Rees (c), Adam Jones, Jarrad Hoeata, Filo Paulo, Josh Turnbull, Josh Navidi, Manoa Vosawai

Replacements: Rhys Williams, Taufa'ao Filise, Scott Andrews, Macauley Cook, Ellis Jenkins, Lloyd Williams, Cory Allen, Geraint Walsh

Ulster: Louis Ludik; Andrew Trimble, Darren Cave, Stuart Olding, Tommy Bowe; Paddy Jackson, Paul Marshall; Andrew Warwick, Rory Best (capt), Wiehahn Herbst; Dan Tuohy, Franco van der Merwe; Robbie Diack, Chris Henry, Nick Williams.

Replacements: Rob Herring, Callum Black, Bronson Ross, Neil McComb, Roger Wilson, Michael Heaney, Ian Humphreys, Criag Gilroy.

Referee: Neil Paterson (SRU)

So whats our predictions for this one with both sides somewhat stuttering into the new season?

Teams are hitting the pitch here we go

Ah you have to love gusher on commentary, says good play by Scarlets and then less than 3o seconds later says good play by the men in blue and black

Great scrum, Warwick!

Paddy Jackson notches the first points up after 7 minutes Ulster lead 3-0

Warwick has really impressed me at the end of last season start of this, that was a good drive but they went the wrong way when it went to ground.

Vicious game so far

The Pro12 has been so fast and loose this season! Both teams tonight playing positive rugby once again.

3-3 after 21 minutes now plenty of attack from both teams so far, so mighty hits going in here too

Notch wrote:The Pro12 has been so fast and loose this season! Both teams tonight playing positive rugby once again.

Yep, good contest so far....unfortunately I was saying the same thing after 60 minutes last week and that didn't turn out well...

Players are just expressing themselves here, great to see.

Their was a hint of a high tackle in there on best

Tommy Bowe is a real handfull, I wish Cuthbert could catch, or kick, or defend.

There in a nutshell is Marshall problem, you never know what you will get passing wise

Lewis Jones is a real handful at scrum half,

also liking Patchell coming onto the ball at FB

Some of these tackles are wild. Both teams just trying to keep the tempo high. Ulster have had the better fitness in the second half both games so far, we just have to not shoot ourselves in the foot before then.

It's rushing not accuracy.

2 good scrums with Lewis Jones really putting Nick Williams under pressure, much better

Patchell is going well here but come on Ulster the scrum is one place we are good and we do stupid stuff like that off the back of it

Cuthbert = Welsh Visser you have my sympathy. Great to watch though.

Feel sorry for Patchell, he's surrounded mostly by garbage in the backline tonight. Must be frustrating for him. In comparison to Ulster's well drilled backs they look poor.

That was stupid by Vosawai!

Argg, frustrating, discipline had been so much better so far

Jacko levels it up 6-6 at half an hour but plenty of agression out there. Mistakes round from both sides so far

Never been afraid to admit I was wrong and whilst its still early days Patchell is look very very good, he has never convinced me in the past but fair play to him.

The Saint wrote:Feel sorry for Patchell, he's surrounded mostly by garbage in the backline tonight. Must be frustrating for him. In comparison to Ulster's well drilled backs they look poor.

Looking forward to seeing him with Anscombe and an on form Allen and Cuthbert - we just need a decent centre to replace Gavin 'hopeless' Evans

bedfordwelsh wrote:Never been afraid to admit I was wrong and whilst its still early days Patchell is look very very good, he has never convinced me in the past but fair play to him.

He is still learning his game and does make errors, but overall he is one of the most talented players the Blues have produced

Frustrating errors now :/

Cardiff are up in defence very very quickly here although it would help if we were not terrible at breakdown there

Both teams making errors and making ground. I mean, this is hectic rugby.

Arggg, again poor penalty to give away :/

Another pen from jackson 9-6

606,

Never doubted his talent just didnt rate him as highly as others but then each to their own etc. I hope he gets an AI squad place and I also hope the Blues don't start messing him about once Anscombe gets there.

Touchy subject I know but if we are giving dual contracts out I would rather see Patchell get one than Anscombe.

wales606 wrote:

The Saint wrote:Feel sorry for Patchell, he's surrounded mostly by garbage in the backline tonight. Must be frustrating for him. In comparison to Ulster's well drilled backs they look poor.

Looking forward to seeing him with Anscombe and an on form Allen and Cuthbert - we just need a decent centre to replace Gavin 'hopeless' Evans

I agree. Surely there's someone coming through at the academies or Pontypridd?

We seem to be trading pens right now. It's very tight here this is going to the wire at the moment. 9-9

The Saint wrote:

wales606 wrote:

The Saint wrote:Feel sorry for Patchell, he's surrounded mostly by garbage in the backline tonight. Must be frustrating for him. In comparison to Ulster's well drilled backs they look poor.

Looking forward to seeing him with Anscombe and an on form Allen and Cuthbert - we just need a decent centre to replace Gavin 'hopeless' Evans

I agree. Surely there's someone coming through at the academies or Pontypridd?

Quite a few centres about but no real stars beside Allen and of course the injured Owen Williams. I think the coaches saw this season as one for Williams and Allen but that won't happen.

Personally I think Richard Smith should play 13 and Allen 12, but I think the coaches are thinking of moving Patchell to 12 when Anscombe arrives - which could work I suppose, but I would prefer him at 10 and Anscombe at 15.

So Ulster lead 12-9 at the half, lots of mistakes, lots of penalties all round so far

Have to say I think it's an atrocious game of rugby. Conditions do look tricky but by God it's rubbish.

Very disappointed in ulster

Both teams going hammer and tongs though. The desire is there for all to see. I'm enjoying it. Error count is spoiling things in terms of attack but the effort is massive.

Matthew Rees' lineout work has been very poor so far this season.

Flip me.

Set piece fallen apart and errors creeping in

Ulsters scrum minced them there. Wiehahn Herbst. Lovin' him.

Sub Adam Jones now, although with Scott Andrews on the bench our scrum will fall to pieces,

I assume Mitchell is injured.

Ah nice try there for big Dan, big gap in Cardiff's defence

For the third week in a row, Dan Tuohy scores!. I do believe Dan Tuohy is top scorer in the Pro12 the year?!

All from Blues mistakes

Notch wrote:For the third week in a row, Dan Tuohy scores!. I do believe Dan Tuohy is top scorer in the Pro12 the year?!

Well Zebo just got a hat-trick in Zebre

wales606 wrote:

Notch wrote:For the third week in a row, Dan Tuohy scores!. I do believe Dan Tuohy is top scorer in the Pro12 the year?!

Well Zebo just got a hat-trick in Zebre

Eh, he's still the top scoring second row in the league

Great attack Cardiff