Cardiff Blues v Newport Gwent Dragons, 26th December 2016

Cardiff Blues: M Morgan, A Cuthbert, R Lee-Lo, W Halaholo, T James, S Shingler, L Williams, R Gill, K Dacey, S Andrews, M Cook, J Down, J Navidi, S Warburton (captain), N Williams. Replacements: K Myhill, B Thyer, T Filise, J Hoeata, E Jenkins, T Williams, N Robinson, C Allen.

Newport Gwent Dragons: T Prydie, P Howard, T Morgan, A Warren, A Hewitt, A O’Brien, T Knoyle, S Hobbs, R Thomas, L Fairbrother, C Hill, R Landman, L Evans (captain), O Griffiths, E Jackson. Replacements: E Dee, T Davies, B Harris, M Screech, N Crosswell, S Pretorius, D Jones, S Beard.

Referee: Ben Whitehouse (WRU)

Can't believe this is being played on a Monday. It's a disgrace. Disgusting. A real kick in the teeth to fans. I shall be voting with my feet.

Whitehouse. Congrats Cardiff.

Stone Motif wrote:Whitehouse. Congrats Cardiff.

Poop

I feel more confident than I expected for this. We have a pretty good 15 out and have some impact off the bench in the likes of Dee, Crosswell, Sarel and Beard.

RiscaGame wrote:I feel more confident that I expected for this. We have a pretty good 15 out and have some impact off the bench in the likes of Dee, Crosswell, Sarel and Beard.

Plus Wales and Lions 10 elect ap Kingsley

How could I leave him out.

Yes I agree I am not as pessimistic as I would usually be. We certainly have the edge in the front XV in my opinion. Their second row of Cook and Downs is lightweight in comparison and Hobbs vs Scott Andrews should be interesting.

If they have an edge it is their ball carrying back row and centre, but if we can keep the ball for long enough periods we should be able to cause some damage.

Strong bench as Chris says.

Blues v Blues. Ridiculous kit colour choices!

How much are they charging? £12 to get in to the Arms Park on Friday to watch Cardiff 'B' v Ponty

Plus they only put 2 bar staff on in the normal bar for what was a decent crowd by Premiership standards

Fortunately I managed to sneak into the members bar downstairs with all the toffs. 4-5 bar staff on there for only about 20 people

I know the Pieman is greedy, but over priced entry fees, customers queuing for ages while the poor barstaff are rushed off their feet is beyond

Terrible defence from Newport just before half time

I expect Cardiff to pull away during the second half

Griff wrote:Blues v Blues. Ridiculous kit colour choices!

Totally agree... Ref should have made one change their strips, probably the Blues as Dragons main strip (Black) probably won't be much better, but the Blues pink jersey would have least given a clear contrast.

Good old days, tradition in rugby was home side changed strips if needed.

Refs usually give strip colour in making call. Wonder what Whitehouse is saying, Blue or Dark Blue... Of course, when saying Blue, the Dragons players will be thinking, is he referring to name or strip colour...

Really stupid...

Cardiff are the home side so they should be changing to the pink strip. Not that it would help the quality of the game but at least make it a bit easier to watch

At least your region won Steff, despite the poor second half!

Game was lost in first 30 due to a combination of us failing to clear our lines (twice kicking out on the full from a restart) and inept officiating.

Whitehouse's decisions give them scoring opportunities for their 2nd and 3rd tries. For the second, Nick Williams clearly takes the tap penalty and stops. Whitehouse allows the Blues to kick to the corner from which they score.

Third try, Ashton Hewitt, the best back on the field yesterday, makes a break, is brought to ground but his momentum is such that he is able to bounce back to his feet. Whitehouse says he is held and pings him for not releasing. How the frak can a player get to his feet that quickly is he is held?! Anyways, Blues kick to corner and score.

Still, credit the Blues for taking their chances.

Neither the Blues' nor Rynard's yellow cards were justified. He then failed to card Nick Crosswell for what was a yellow card offence.

Second half, Blues could not really break us down and we were solid enough while not causing them any problems either. We just couldn't make yards against their fringe defence with their back row, and in particular Williams, man handling our runners, including the impervious Ollie Griffiths who never gave up despite getting little change.

I thought our centres defended well against theirs, and I thought theirs would cause us more problems than they did. I thought Beard did well when he came on and probably should have started. So for once we took our line speed on the road, something we have failed to do in previous away games.

Do I think they were 11 points better? Not really. Am I extremely disappointed by the loss? In so much as it is a derby game, yes. But given the respective budgets and signings made, not massively.

RiscaGame wrote:At least your region won Steff, despite the poor second half!

Very true. I guess the words "region" and "won" put together are not that familiar with you...so well done on constructing that sentence by the way

Steffan wrote:How much are they charging? £12 to get in to the Arms Park on Friday to watch Cardiff 'B' v Ponty

Plus they only put 2 bar staff on in the normal bar for what was a decent crowd by Premiership standards

Fortunately I managed to sneak into the members bar downstairs with all the toffs. 4-5 bar staff on there for only about 20 people

I know the Pieman is greedy, but over priced entry fees, customers queuing for ages while the poor barstaff are rushed off their feet is beyond

Some things never change I see. Hope you weren't admonished for wearing a woolly hat.
£12 though, blydi ell. Shewerly a fiver, tops, should suffice for a prem game.

Steffan wrote:

RiscaGame wrote:At least your region won Steff, despite the poor second half!

Very true. I guess the words "region" and "won" put together are not that familiar with you...so well done on constructing that sentence by the way

Snigger.

Steffan wrote:Terrible defence from Newport just before half time

I expect Cardiff to pull away during the second half

Eejit. Bet you feel foolish now.
Also, Cardiff don't do bonus points, mun, if ewe hadn't noticed already.
The boxing day bloo teams both doomed to the Parker Pen next season I reckon.

GavinDragon wrote:

Second half, Blues could not really break us down and we were solid enough while not causing them any problems either. We just couldn't make yards against their fringe defence with their back row, and in particular Williams, man handling our runners, including the impervious Ollie Griffiths who never gave up despite getting little change.

Whilst I underestimated the amount of football in our backs, I said at the start of the season we will never be able to play a wide game with no carrying threat up front. You need that to get any space.

Steffan wrote:Cardiff are the home side so they should be changing to the pink strip. Not that it would help the quality of the game but at least make it a bit easier to watch

Oh Lordy, it's the Spanish Pinkuisition

Stone Motif wrote:

Steffan wrote:Cardiff are the home side so they should be changing to the pink strip. Not that it would help the quality of the game but at least make it a bit easier to watch

Oh Lordy, it's the Spanish Pinkuisition

Good call.
Remember Stade Francais running out at CAP in their first all pink kit. How we giggled and thought WTF. Yet there must've been someone in the posh seats who thought it lovely. Bet you an Ayrton, it was a bird. Think it was just after that the general de-Cardiffing began in the run up to Leckwith as it happens. Great days and fond memories.

Griff wrote:Blues v Blues. Ridiculous kit colour choices!

Multiple shades of blue though. Which helped a bit I spose.

GavinDragon wrote:Game was lost in first 30 due to a combination of us failing to clear our lines (twice kicking out on the full from a restart) and inept officiating.

Whitehouse's decisions give them scoring opportunities for their 2nd and 3rd tries. For the second, Nick Williams clearly takes the tap penalty and stops. Whitehouse allows the Blues to kick to the corner from which they score.

Third try, Ashton Hewitt, the best back on the field yesterday, makes a break, is brought to ground but his momentum is such that he is able to bounce back to his feet. Whitehouse says he is held and pings him for not releasing. How the frak can a player get to his feet that quickly is he is held?! Anyways, Blues kick to corner and score.

Still, credit the Blues for taking their chances.

Neither the Blues' nor Rynard's yellow cards were justified. He then failed to card Nick Crosswell for what was a yellow card offence.

Second half, Blues could not really break us down and we were solid enough while not causing them any problems either. We just couldn't make yards against their fringe defence with their back row, and in particular Williams, man handling our runners, including the impervious Ollie Griffiths who never gave up despite getting little change.

I thought our centres defended well against theirs, and I thought theirs would cause us more problems than they did. I thought Beard did well when he came on and probably should have started. So for once we took our line speed on the road, something we have failed to do in previous away games.

Do I think they were 11 points better? Not really. Am I extremely disappointed by the loss? In so much as it is a derby game, yes. But given the respective budgets and signings made, not massively.

Very interesting to read this now.